The Ohio Medical Marijuana Program has been hard at work for months approving licenses for medical marijuana businesses throughout the state of Ohio. For those unaware, the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control 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.
Despite several delays, the last remaining pieces of the puzzle are finally starting to come together, and it looks like the medical marijuana Ohio industry should be up and running in just a few short months. This week (10/18/18), the OMMCP has approved another marijuana processor. This brings the total number of processors to an even fourteen.
Below is a look at the approved Ohio mmj processors:
Announced Oct. 18, 2018
174.00 – Schottenstein Aphria II LLC (Columbus, Franklin County
Announced Oct. 3, 2018
161.84 – Ohio Medical Solutions, Inc. (Akron, Summit County)
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)
What Is Marijuana Processing?
Medical marijuana processing is one of the more confusing terms out there in the cannabis industry. Most casual mmj patients do not know the whole process that marijuana goes through before it can be sold in stores, especially for those who only know of smoking the plant. But marijuana that is grown in cultivation facilities undergoes a rather strenuous series of tests in order to ensure purity and potency for the user.
Quite naturally, marijuana is first grown by cultivators. At current there are around 26 cultivators, large and small scale, approved to grow medical marijuana throughout Ohio, and many have already started harvesting, too. After marijuana has flowered, and reached its peak potency, it is harvested and dried, which cures the marijuana, making it ready to be consumed.
Afterward, marijuana is then tested for purity by licensed medical marijuana testers, like the facility at Hocking Technical College. They make sure that the cannabis has set values for its active compounds, like THC and CBD. They also test to make sure the plant material meets safe standards and isn't loaded with toxic pesticides that could have been used while growing.
Any cannabis that is going to be processed to create tinctures, edibles or creams must be sent to a marijuana processing facility, where the plant material is converted into oils, powders and other forms. Processors also package up marijuana for sale. What this means to the patient is that any gummy they may eat, or cream they may apply to an affected area, went through a marijuana processor after the raw plant material was harvested by a cultivator.
As always, Ohio Marijuana Card will keep you up to date on all Ohio medical marijuana news so that our customers, readers and medical marijuana advocates remain well-informed.
In the meantime, find out if you qualify for a medical marijuana card in Ohio, or give us a call at 1-866-457-5559 and our friendly support team will set you up with an appointment with one of our certified medical marijuana doctors.