Medical marijuana has been legal in Ohio for close to two years, but unfortunately, due to delays, Ohioans have yet to step foot inside a single (legal) dispensary. But the grass keeps getting greener for Ohio medical marijuana advocates and patients as the program continues to grant new licences.
Today (9/18/18), the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program has awarded one more license for marijuana processors. That brings the total number of marijuana processors to twelve.
The Ohio Medical Marijuana program was created in order to monitor the medical marijuana industry throughout Ohio. It is a collaboration between the State of Ohio board of Pharmacy, the State Medical Board of Ohio and the Ohio Department of Commerce.
What Is Marijuana Processing?
For those unaware, processors package and produce cannabis after receiving product from the state's marijuana cultivators. Processing is needed in order to package dry herb flower, in addition to creating oils, tinctures, edibles, creams and patches, just to name a few.
Ohio Marijuana Processing Licenses
There are now twelve provisional processing licenses in Ohio. They include:
Announced Sept. 18, 2018
134.56 – NMG Ohio, LLC (Huron, Erie County)
Announced Sept. 7, 2018
164.20 – FarmaceuticalRX LLC (East Liverpool, Columbiana County)
Announced Aug. 31, 2018
162.72 - Purpose Leaf, LLC (Enon, Clark County)
Announced Aug. 16, 2018
174.00 – Green Investment Partners LLC (Columbus, Franklin County)
172.92 – Standard Wellness Company LLC (Gibsonburg, Sandusky County)
Announced Aug. 3, 2018
185.48 – Ohio Grown Therapies, LLC (Johnstown, Licking County)
182.00 – Fire Rock Processing Ltd. (Columbus, Franklin County)
177.28 – Ohio Green Grow LLC (Toledo, Lucas County)
176.72 - Greenleaf Therapeutics, LLC (Middlefield, Geauga County) *
172.20 – Grow Ohio Pharmaceuticals, LLC (Newtown Township, Muskingum County)
156.52 – Standard Farms Ohio LLC (Garfield Heights, Cuyahoga County)
155.32 – Corsa Verde, LLC (Columbus, Franklin County)
When Will The Ohio Medical Marijuana Patient Registry Open?
Now that cultivators are growing, and the September 8th 2018 deadline has passed, many patients have asked us when the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy will open their patient registry. This is, truthfully, a difficult question to answer because the organization is being very secretive about when the registry will go active.
Naturally, this has been frustrating for our patients, and for our company. Ohio Marijuana Card's team of certified doctors want their patients to be able to medicate sooner rather than later, so they can finally receive some relief from their pain. Alas, despite outspoken patient frustration, we still don't have a clear answer.
"The registry has been tested, and we're confident in its functionality and usage,'' Grant Miller, a spokesman for the Board of Pharmacy told Cincinatti.com. "It basically just has to be turned on. Whenever we have a date, we'll be ready.''
Once this registry is open, patients who have already obtained their medical marijuana recommendation from a state-certified doctor will be able to register their recommendation and receive their official medical marijuana card from the state, following a $50 payment to the Ohio Board of Pharmacy.
Sadly, due to delays with cultivators, processors, testers and dispensaries, this registration has not yet been opened. According to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program, the patient registration should be online roughly 60 days before dispensaries open.
Our sources are telling us that we should start seeing the first dispensaries in December and early January, with the rest following throughout 2019. If these dates turn out to be accurate, that would put the patient registration online around October or November (at the latest). Now, this doesn't mean that there won't be further delays. After all, many did not see the current delays coming. But with things moving more quickly, and far more smoothly, than before it is only a matter of time until the patient registry is active.
Stay Updated
Subscribe to this blog and keep your eyes and ears glued to this space. We will most definitely keep our readers informed about when the official medical marijuana patient registry goes online. In the meantime, click here find out how our certified medical marijuana doctors can help you. Or call 1-866-457-5559 to schedule an appointment.