Ever since the state of Ohio passed its medical marijuana law, also known as Ohio HB 523, progress toward opening medical marijuana to the public has been slow going. This is largely due to the state delaying the process as they craft thorough provisions, rules and regulations in order to best monitor the marijuana industry.
Though the medical marijuana bill was signed into law by Ohio Governor John Kasich in late 2016, things are only just starting to get underway for marijuana cultivators and dispensaries. One such dispensary is attempting to open a shop in Beavercreek, Ohio, and is now seeking approval from the city planning commission.
According to MyDaytonDailyNews, Harvest of Ohio LLC, a company based out of Arizona, is seeking city approval to open their business tonight during a meeting with Beavercreek's planning commission. The dispensary itself is set to be located at 4370 Tonawanda Trail.
The meeting will allow residents a few minutes to voice their opinions, concerns and thoughts about the medical marijuana dispensary. After this process, Harvest of Ohio will either be granted approval by the planning commission, be denied approval or the issue will be tabled until a future meeting. To attend the meeting, here's the address:
City Hall at 6pm Council Chamber 1368 Research Park Drive Beavercreek, OH 45432
UPDATE: According to WHIO's Sean Cudahy, the Beavercreek City Planning Commission voted unanimously to table approval of Harvest of Ohio's Beavercreek dispensary last night, citing a private traffic study being done in the area that has not yet completed. We'll keep you updated as this story develops.
At current, Harvest of Ohio has been granted a license from the state to operate a medical marijuana dispensary, but the company must seek approval from the city planning commission to ensure that they comply with all of Beavercreek's zoning regulations.
This is, of course, is just one of the many hurdles that dispensaries must undergo before opening their business to the public. And once they do, a better question will be ... where will they get their product? Many cultivators are still waiting for State approval, with only a small handful of Level II cultivators and only one Level I cultivator, Buckeye Relief, currently allowed to plant marijuana in the state. This could mean that further delays in dispensary openings should be expected while medical marijuana is grown, cultivated and packaged for sale.
Medical marijuana dispensaries will not be open to the public, like any traditional pharmacy. Rather, patients seeking medical marijuana must have a valid Ohio medical marijuana card in order to enter a medical marijuana dispensary.
A valid Ohio marijuana card is obtained via a recommendation from a state-certified medical marijuana doctor. This doctor will look over your medical records and determine if you have one of the 21 approved health conditions, and if qualify for medical marijuana. From there, your recommendation is turned into the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, along with a $50 processing fee.
After your paperwork has been filed, you will receive your medical marijuana card and can enter any dispensary throughout the state to purchase dry leaf cannabis (or cannabis flower), tinctures, creams, gels, edibles, waxes and oils. Smoking is strictly prohibited under Ohio medical marijuana law, but patients can vaporize plant material and oils.
Patients around Beavercreek will be happy to know that Ohio Marijuana Card already has a certified medical marijuana doctor in their area. To find a dispensary near you, take a look at our comprehensive list of dispensaries opening by county.