The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation announced last week that they have now received equipment that will allow them to differentiate between hemp and marijuana, thereby allowing them to proceed with prosecutions on drug cases.
Since the legalization of hemp cultivation, illegal marijuana cases have not been prosecuted for the past nine months in cities across Ohio, such as Columbus and Hunting Valley. This was due to the fact that no crime labs in Ohio had the capability to test the cannabis plants in order to distinguish the difference between hemp and marijuana, as both belong to the ‘cannabis’ genus of plants, yet only one (marijuana) was illegal to possess if the individual was not a certified medical marijuana patient. Prior to the arrival of the new equipment, marijuana was identified through the use of microscope examination and chemical color testing.
Under the Ohio hemp law, hemp can have no more than 0.3% of THC. Anything above that is illegal unless it is part of Ohio's medical marijuana program.
Executive Director of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association stated that since the legalization of hemp went into effect last summer, law enforcement has been unable to effectively enforce marijuana laws in Ohio due to the inability to distinguish between hemp and marijuana. The new equipment, which the state allocated $968,602 for, was a solution that would allow for accurate testing and help create a valuable resource for officers and prosecutors.
The Ohio crime lab will soon begin working on testing marijuana edibles as well but will take time as it is a more complicated process due to the wide variety of products.
With Ohio now able to again proceed with marijuana prosecutions, now is a great time to get your medical marijuana card if you have a qualifying condition.
Ohio Marijuana Card patient support representatives are here to help answer all of your questions about medical marijuana. Give us a call today at 866-457-5559.
If you are a qualifying patient who suffering from one of the qualifying conditions and is seeking medical marijuana treatment, schedule a telemedicine evaluation, and gain access to Ohio dispensaries.
You can schedule your appointment by calling us at 866-457-5559 or book your appointment online.