As a measure to make medical marijuana more accessible to the program’s registered patients, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy announced in April, 2021 that it was planning to accept applications for 73 new dispensary licenses. This would increase the number of dispensaries in the Buckeye State from 57, to 130, drastically reducing the patient load and guaranteeing new access in regions previously void of anywhere to buy legal medical cannabis.
It’s clear that there is money to be made in Ohio’s medical marijuana market, because over 1,400 applications were submitted for those 73 open licenses. The Board of Pharmacy is in the process of confirming eligibility, and the licenses will be awarded via a lottery on January 27th, 2022. The Ohio Lottery commission is overseeing the process, assigning random lottery numbers to each applicant.
When Will New Dispensaries Be Opening in Ohio?
Though licenses for new Ohio dispensaries will be awarded by the end January, 2022, it’s not likely that actual shops will be opening before summer, and most will open by the end of the year.
Medical marijuana dispensaries in Ohio have a great deal of preparation before they can begin to operate, including special build-outs and security measures to ensure compliance with the state’s requirements. This process, along with paperwork and red-tape, can lead to delays in opening; but it is a necessary step to ensure that medical marijuana is accepted in—and beneficial to—the communities the dispensaries serve.
Where Will the New Cannabis Dispensaries Be Located?
The increase in dispensary licenses is intended to bolster access to medical marijuana for all Ohio patients. The goal is to reduce the average number of patients per dispensary to under 1,200. The current average is nearly 3,000, and there are three districts that have no dispensaries at all.
These three districts will get at least one license per district awarded automatically, to ensure the residents of the counties they serve have a dispensary nearby.
Districts Currently Without Dispensary Licenses
NW District 1 - Williams, Fulton, Defiance
There are currently 12 applicants for this Northwest District 1, and most are located in Holiday City, with some proposed dispensary locations in Hicksville, Florence Township and Sherwood as well.
NW District 2 - Paulding, Van Wert, Mercer
25 cannabis companies have submitted their bid for a license in Northwest District 2, with most vying for a spot in the old Family Video location at 215 West 5th Street in Delphos. There are a couple of potential locations in Antwerp as well.
SW District 3 - Shelby, Miami, Logan
Southwest District 3 also has 25 applicants, with most going for the old Family Video location at 645 West Water Street in Piqua. Russells Point and Tipp City also have a couple of proposed locations.
Other Ohio Districts With New Dispensaries Coming Soon
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy has separated Ohio into 31 districts for the medical marijuana program, and the districts are allotted a specific number of dispensaries based on population and participation.
Northern Ohio
Northern Ohio districts have the greatest number of applicants, with Northeast District 2—encompassing the Cleveland Metro Area—seeing the most interest with 208 applications submitted. Aside from the City of Cleveland, Euclid, South Euclid, Woodmere and Cleveland Heights all have a heavy concentration of proposed dispensaries. Toledo, in Northwest District 3 had about 60 applicants as well.
Southeast Ohio
The Southeast Districts saw a reasonable amount of interest as well, with 120 applications for dispensary locations in Southeast District 3 (almost all in Columbus), and 101 applications in Southeast District 7 (Zanesville and Coshocton).
Southwest Ohio
The majority of new dispensary applications in Southwest Ohio were for spots in Dayton, with 186 applicants in Southwest District 4. Districts encompassing Cincinnati and Springfield also had a reasonable amount of interest.
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy has made the details about applicants and proposed locations public, and you can check it out to see where there may be a dispensary opening near you in 2022.
In addition to the list of applicants, you can learn more about the rationale behind the districts and the dispensary allocation process here. Page 18 includes a comparison between the current number of dispensaries in Ohio, and the proposed number of dispensaries in Ohio.
How Can You Shop at an Ohio Cannabis Dispensary Now?
Though it’s more convenient to have a dispensary around the corner, you don’t have to wait for one to open in order to get legal access to a wide variety of medical marijuana flower, vapes, concentrates and extracts, edibles, beverages, topicals, tinctures and more!
When you get an Ohio medical marijuana card, you get access to every dispensary in the state. Most Ohio patients live within 30 minutes of their nearest dispensary, and we’ve created a dispensary savings guide to help you make the most of your medical marijuana budget every month!
At Ohio Marijuana Card, we offer flexible appointment times, and you can even meet with a compassionate Ohio certified medical marijuana doctor online via telehealth so you never have to leave the comfort of your home! Our services are streamlined to provide you with quick access to medical marijuana, and we offer a full year of follow-up appointments to ensure you are getting the right treatment to meet your 2022 health goals!
Give our patient support team a call at (866) 457-5559 or schedule an appointment for a medical marijuana evaluation online by visiting our website today!
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
Here at Ohio Marijuana Card, our goal is to help everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
If you have any questions, call us at (866) 457-5559, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
Check out Ohio Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the medical marijuana conversation in Ohio.