Ohio’s Green Light: Legal Weed Sales Set to Ignite by Mid-June

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The air in Ohio is about to get a little hazier, with recreational marijuana sales set to kick off by mid-June. The green light came after the state’s new licensing rules for dispensaries passed a significant legislative barrier on Monday, ending months of limbo.

Since December, Ohioans aged 21 and over have been legally able to grow and possess cannabis at home, thanks to a voter-approved statute. However, with no legal avenues to buy the stuff, a black market threat loomed large, much to the chagrin of Governor Mike DeWine and his Republican allies in the Legislature.

On Monday, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review gave a nod to rules paving the way for a dual licensing system. This system will enable existing medical marijuana dispensaries to sell non-medical pot products. Jim Canepa, the head honcho of the Division of Cannabis Control, assured the public that applications would be ready by June 7, as stipulated by the new law.

“I don’t want to give anyone false hopes,” Canepa cautioned, responding to queries about an earlier application date. “We’re following the timeline in the initiated statute. Our team is small but mighty, though bandwidth is a concern.” Canepa refrained from guessing how long each application would take to process, citing case-by-case variables.

Tom Haren, the voice of the Ohio Cannabis Coalition and a main advocate for last fall’s ballot initiative, expressed confidence that dispensary operators would be ready to roll. He noted that the Division of Cannabis Control has been burning the midnight oil to hit the deadlines set by law, and dispensaries have been keeping pace.

“Our members have obviously been anticipating the rollout of adult-use sales,” Haren stated. “They’ve been fine-tuning processes and making necessary adjustments. We’re genuinely excited.”

Haren expects most of Ohio’s existing dispensaries to seek dual licenses, allowing them to cater to both medical and recreational users.

Canepa highlighted that this approval is just one piece of the puzzle, with multiple rule packages required to fully launch the program by the final deadline of September 7. The new law permits adults 21 and over to purchase and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and cultivate up to six plants per person or 12 per household. The state has nine months to establish a legal sales system, which will be subject to a 10% tax. Revenue will cover administrative costs, addiction treatment, support for municipalities hosting dispensaries, and social equity programs within the cannabis industry.

Republican state Rep. Jamie Callender, a long-time advocate for adult-use legalization, commended the Division of Cannabis Control for its rapid progress. He had argued last year that a thorough rule-making process was preferable to a rushed legislative package.

DeWine and the Republican-led Ohio Senate had attempted a last-minute overhaul of the voter-approved measure, causing a political firestorm. Their proposed bill aimed to ban home cultivation, reduce the allowable possession limit to 1 ounce, increase the sales tax to 15%, and cut funding for social equity programs, redirecting tax revenue to the general state fund. However, the House adjourned before a vote could be taken.

Callender noted that some legislative action would still be necessary to address issues aligned with the voters’ intentions, such as child-resistant packaging, restrictions on marketing to minors, and protections for business owners.

“I think at this point, we’ve gotten past a lot of the initial fears held by some senators and the Governor’s Office,” Callender remarked. “Now, they’re seeing that this is going to work.”

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