Historic news for the Buckeye State and the Ohio cannabis industry!
The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program has officially granted final approval to the very first Ohio medical marijuana dispensary, Cresco Labs, located at 180 Main Street, Wintersville, Ohio. This means that Cresco Labs has been given the green light to open their dispensary, marking a historic day for medical marijuana in Ohio.
This also means that, very soon, patients will be able to buy legal cannabis in Ohio and finally get the treatment they've sought for literally years. This process has been a long time coming, but undoubtedly patients will be excited to hear that at least one dispensary is on the way!
It's been speculated that Cresco Labs could open their doors before the end of the year. That being said, additional clues (more on that below) point to an early January open date being more likely.
More Ohio cannabis news
At the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program meeting today (12/13/18), it was announced that Cresco Labs would likely be joined by another dispensary soon, as final inspections were happening this week. Many dispensaries were asking for extensions or delays to get ready, but the state pushed back on these requests, hoping to get dispensaries open sooner rather than later.
There are currently 14 certificates of operation granted to cultivators, with one cultivator granted final approval. Their cannabis can be sold in stores once tested. As for testing, two facilities were being inspected and should be able to operate in about 2-3 weeks, pending final approvals.
The state is hoping to get these testing facility approvals done quickly, even if inspections initially fail. They will work with testers to get them operating. This is the biggest clue that Cresco Labs will open in early January rather than late December -- their cannabis will need to be tested for purity, quality and pesticides before it can be sold.
Ohioans should expect shortages of medical marijuana at launch
Please be aware that because not every cannabis business is up and running, supplies will be extremely limited at launch.
As a result, most Ohio medical marijuana patients will not be able to buy product for a few weeks ... at least until supplies match demand. But as cultivators continue to harvest cannabis, and more and more dispensaries open throughout Ohio, product should become more readily available.
It is unclear yet how Cresco Labs will deal with the inevitable media frenzy, and flood of Ohio medical marijuana cardholders waiting at their doors to buy legal weed, but we have confidence that they will figure out the best method to help prioritize patients who need cannabis the most. As always, keep an eye on this blog for updates about Cresco Labs and other exciting dispensary news. Should be a bunch of stories coming in the next few weeks.
Where will Ohio medical marijuana dispensaries be located?
There will be nearly 60 medical marijuana dispensaries spread across Ohio. There are dispensaries planned in large and small communities, so patients won't need to drive very far in order to get their medical marijuana. Sadly, at this time, marijuana delivery is not an option, but several nonprofits are hard at work trying to make cannabis delivery for disabled patients a reality.
Here is a map of where each dispensary will be located. Just click on the map to see more locations, and for more information.
When will Ohio medical marijuana dispensaries open?
The first dispensaries are expected to open before the end of 2018, with the rest following in early 2019. Discussions we have had with industry insiders place a firm target date of February 2019, though some will open earlier, some later.
A few dispensaries are far along in the building process, but it could take time for them to get final approval from Ohio. Here's a look at the build site of Grass Roots in Cuyahoga Falls, opening in 2019:
Expectations are that most dispensaries should be open by the end of 2019, with many opening well before that. Understand that while there have been numerous delays, the industry will be coming to Ohio. The delays early on just set the industry back about seven months.
Know that it has taken dozens of companies and hundreds of employees literally years, and thousands of hours, labor and love, to bring the cannabis industry to the Buckeye State. And we are finally at the finish line. Literally everyone, from doctors to nurses, cultivators, testers, dispensaries, advocates, growers, support staffs, and budtenders are BEYOND EXCITED for this day. So please, be patient. Cannabis relief is on its way, and everyone is working hard!
Ohio Marijuana Card has launched a brand-new informational podcast where we discuss Ohio medical marijuana news and updates. Give the first episode a watch by clicking here, or view the video below:
If you think you qualify for medical marijuana, click here to learn more about what Ohio Marijuana Card's state-certified medical marijuana doctors can do for you, or give us a call at 1-866-457-5559 and our friendly support team can walk you through the entire process, and set you up with an appointment.
Also, be sure to get your tickets for Ohio Marijuana Expo: Cleveland. Tickets are on sale now. Take advantage of our early bird special and save!
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