Waiting for the Green Light: Ohio’s Leap Towards Dual-Use Cannabis Dispensaries
It’s been over three months since Ohioans gave the green (pun intended) thumbs up to recreational weed, and now, we’re finally seeing some moves to get it onto dispensary shelves where consumers can finally make a purchase.
Here’s the deal: under the new proposed rules, medical dispensaries interested in expanding their sales to include recreational cannabis must meet several criteria.
- They can have absolutely NO financial ties or arrangements with any adult-use testing laboratories.
- They must have a good track record of following all state tax laws.
- They can have NO employment connections with regulatory bodies which have any influence over licensing.
Jonathan Entin, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University, hailed this development as an important step towards activating the recreational marijuana law so dispensaries can juggle both medicinal and recreational. Entin emphasized that these regulations would establish a legal foundation for purchasing marijuana for personal use.
- The DCC has set a hopeful timeline that strives to open the application process for dual-use licenses by June 7.
Amplify Dispensary, with locations in Cleveland Heights, Bedford, and Columbus, has expressed its eagerness and readiness to apply for dual licenses for all its outlets as soon as the process officially gets off the ground.
A.J. Caraballo, the retail director at Amplify, expressed enthusiasm about the easier application process. Not to mention, they are anticipating a pick up in business with customers not only seeking medicinal marijuana but also recreational.
At this point, the proposal has been forwarded to Governor Mike DeWine’s Common Sense Initiative for further review, with hopes of issuing the licenses by September 7.
Without a doubt, this important step reflects a broader effort to establish a legal and regulated market for recreational cannabis in Ohio, addressing the current void in legal purchase avenues since the passing of Issue 2.
Dispensary managers like Nilendu Singh of Nar Dispensary in downtown Columbus are keenly awaiting the licensing and are prepared to implement recreational sales immediately.
The state’s initiative to offer dual-use licenses to medical dispensaries is seen as a bridge towards a fully functional recreational cannabis market that adheres to all laws while meeting the needs of customers and dispensary owners.
The initiative also underscores ongoing discussions in the legislature about potential changes to marijuana laws, including Governor DeWine’s push for House Bill 86, which proposes the sale of recreational marijuana and an increase in the tax rate to 15%.
So, with a bit of luck and some speedy paperwork, Ohio’s medical dispensaries could be ready to offer both recreational and medicinal cannabis by fall.
