Adult Use Marijuana is Now Legal in Ohio – Here’s What to Know

Issue 2 has passed, but adult-use sales won’t begin immediately in the Buckeye state. 

Dr. Rony Sinharoy & Dr. Lauren Delande, for Klutch Cannabis

On November 7th Ohioans comfortably voted in favor of the Issue 2 ballot initiative, becoming the 24th state in the U.S to legalize adult-use marijuana. Ohio continued the trend of more populous, conservative leaning states supporting a legal market and shifting the national landscape of marijuana legalization. Currently, 53% of the U.S population live in a state with an active or pending adult-use program. If you factor states that have legalized marijuana for medical use, 74% percent of the population live in states that have ended cannabis prohibition to some extent, U.S. Census data shows.

When Will Recreational Cannabis be Legal in Ohio?

Assuming lawmakers do not make changes to Issue 2, effective December 7th individuals twenty-one and older may possess marijuana and begin growing cannabis. Adults are allowed to have up to 2.5 ounces of dry cannabis and can grow up to six plants individually. As for adult-use marijuana sales, regulators have nine months to determine the structure of the state’s recreational market. The first adult-use licenses will be awarded to established operators in Ohio’s medical marijuana program. This is on par with other transitioning programs around the country facilitating adult-use sales by leaning on existing operators’ infrastructure to produce, transport and dispense cannabis products. 

Where in Ohio will Adult Use Marijuana Sales Take Place?

After Ohio’s Division of Cannabis Control sets rules on licensing, product standards, packaging and more, the first adult-use sales will take place at existing dispensaries. Additional dispensaries are set to open, but their locations are dependent on the state’s allocation process and town ordinances. Local governments are not allowed to ban marijuana use or home grow, and they can’t impose additional taxes on marijuana businesses, but they can prohibit adult-use dispensaries in their communities.

Until distribution of adult-use dispensary licenses, the state’s medical marijuana dispensaries will continue to serve Ohioans. As of November 2023, Ohio’s medical program has awarded 130 provisional licenses, of which 112 are operational. Most medical dispensaries are located in or around larger cities, leaving a void for some living in rural parts of the state. The adult-use program should improve accessibility, but Ohio’s major population centers will continue to be home for the bulk of retail cannabis stores. According to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program October 2023 update, there were roughly 185,000 active medical marijuana patients and 370,000 have purchased medical marijuana since sales began in January 2019. With an adult-use program still months away, those numbers should continue to climb. 

What Products Will Recreational Dispensaries Sell in Ohio?

Ohio’s medical dispensaries offer cannabis flower, oil for vaporization, extracts, edibles, tinctures, topicals and more. The same forms and brands will carry over to adult use dispensaries as more players enter the market, in addition to other products the state approves. The benefits of remaining a medical marijuana patient in Ohio’s adult-use program are unclear. Issue 2 provisions for a 10% adult-use cannabis tax on top of the state sales tax. Cost, among other factors such as supply, age restrictions, administrative fees and requirements to obtain a medical marijuana card, will determine whether Ohio’s medical program will successfully coexist in an adult-use market. In either case, successful retailers will be the ones which cater to the needs and preferences of any individual regardless of the type of cannabis consumer.

The Citizen by Klutch is Ohio’s Premier Dispensary Experience

Ohio boasts several quality brands and dispensaries prepared to expand into the world of adult-use marijuana while continuing to provide for medical patients. Ohio’s top medical cannabis brand, Akron-born Klutch Cannabis, recently unveiled The Citizen by Klutch dispensaries in Lorain and Canton. The Citizen offers Ohio’s premier dispensary experience under the direction of two local pharmacists. The shops have been featured in national publications for offering the state’s first drive thru pickup, a homely upscale atmosphere, fully customized online menu, interactive ordering kiosks and use of forward-thinking technology to tailor product recommendations with consumer preferences. The Citizen has gone to great lengths to break negative stigmas surrounding cannabis shopping and cannabis use. A truly unique dispensary environment along with professional staff maintain The Citizen by Klutch’s status as one of the country’s finest cannabis retailers.

Visit Us Today

Why wait until adult-use sales begin to visit The Citizen or your local dispensary? Learn more about becoming an Ohio medical marijuana patient on The Citizen by Klutch website. Already an Ohio Medical patient? Visit their dispensaries in Lorain or Canton.

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