Politics
Here’s Where You Can Buy Recreational Marijuana In Ohio Starting This Week
Nearly 100 dispensaries in Ohio will be able to open their doors to adult consumers starting Tuesday, regulators have announced.
The Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) said on Monday that it will be issuing 98 certificates of operation to existing medical marijuana dispensaries that applied for dual licenses so they can also serve the recreational market. This comes about a month ahead of a deadline to approve hybrid shops after voters approved legalization at the ballot last November.
It’s unclear how many of the businesses that receive the certificates will launch adult-use sales on Tuesday, but several have announced their own plans to open up shop, including multi-state operators such as Cresco Labs, AYR Wellness and Curaleaf.
“A big reason we were able to get to this point ahead of the Sept. 7 deadline was due to the foundation laid through the state’s existing Medical Marijuana Control Program,” DCC Superintendent James Canepa said in a press release. “Since existing licensees had already met stringent requirements of that program, we anticipated this process to be rather smooth. They had already undergone many of the comprehensive checks as part of that process.”
DCC said that dispensaries with provisional dual licenses that haven’t obtained a certificate of operation likely submitted incomplete applications that will need to be resolved before they can start serving patients and adult consumers.
“As the non-medical cannabis market opens, the Division will continue to review and approve those 10(B) dispensary, or bonus licenses, for which eligible licensees have been able to apply with regard to additional locations,” Canepa said.
“Since those additional sites will take time to construct, inspect and receive Certificates of Operation, we anticipate that, over the coming months and years, those 10(B) dispensaries will become operational,” he said. “As required by the initiated statute, come September 2026, the Division will evaluate demand and access data to determine incremental growth and locations for additional licensees in the state. Our Division is committed to continuing our work in developing and proposing rules to help ensure the cannabis industry in Ohio remains safe and secure.”
Jason Erkes, chief communications officer at Cresco, said in a notice that the company is “very excited to be opening early tomorrow in Cincinnati for the first sale of adult-use cannabis in Ohio,” adding that the “phones have been ringing off the hook” in anticipation of the launch.
State regulators confirmed last week that they were prepared to clear select businesses to open following inspections ensuring compliance with the state’s legalization law.
DCC also created an online map where adult-use consumers can view a list of approved dispensaries.
Ahead of the launch, regulators recently distributed supplemental guidance on the rules for opening day events, advertising and more.
Prior to the retailer licensing development, DCC started issuing the state’s first dual certificates of operation for marijuana growers, processors and testing labs in recent weeks so they could begin working with both medical and recreational cannabis.
One way that the division prepared prospective dual licensees on the retail end was by reminding them of what they can and can’t do to mark their opening day. For example, businesses cannot allow on-site consumption, offer samples (infused or non-infused), have music or food trucks outside the shop, promote the opening with celebratory decor on the exterior or hold a ribbon cutting ceremony outside.
However, they are permitted to have music inside as long as it’s not a live performance. They can also offer complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and promote the opening by holding a ribbon cutting ceremony inside the dispensary.
Before a dispensary could secure a certification, applicants that received a provisional licenses needed to first prove that they’ve updated their point-of-sale technology to distinguish between medical cannabis and adult-use sales, enhance security and verify that they will be able to maintain an adequate supply for patients.
Before opening applications, regulators released informational materials to prepare prospective applicants, outlining regulatory requirements they must satisfy in order to be eligible for the hybrid license.
Applications for the dual licenses opened about a month after the legislature’s Joint Committee On Agency Rule Review (JCARR) gave final approval to the proposed cannabis regulations for the adult-use market under the legalization law voters passed last November.
Gov. Mike DeWine (R) doesn’t personally support legalization, but he’s repeatedly criticized the delay in access to regulated products since voters made that choice and possession became legal in December.
Legislative leaders had separately discussed putting together a bill to make various changes to the law, including expediting sales, but the plans have largely fallen apart amid disagreement within the GOP-controlled legislature.
The Senate did pass an amendment package just prior to legalization taking effect, but the House has not taken it up, nor has it moved to advance a different proposal that originate in the House. Senators also recently filed a separate bill to change various marijuana rules.
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Meanwhile, as regulators have worked to finalize regulations for the adult-use market, it already implemented a change in February that allows medical marijuana patients and caregivers to obtain or renew their registrations for only one penny. That fee was then totally eliminated with the adoption of a new rule at May’s JCARR meeting.
The fee elimination is part of an initial package of rules that DCC released in February to implement adult-use legalization.
Following voter approval of legalization at the ballot, the Department of Commerce was quick to publish an FAQ guide for residents to learn about the new law and timeline for implementation.
The governor, meanwhile, has previously pressed the legislature to enact changes to expedite recreational marijuana sales. But he’s indicated that his more immediate concern is regulating the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC.
“This is time for the legislature to move,” the governor, who also raised the issue during his State of the State address in April, said. “We can’t do it ourselves.”
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Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer.
