Ohio Voters Legalize Adult-Use Marijuana

Nov 8, 2023

Ohio voters approved an adult-use marijuana initiative, making Ohio the 24^th state to end marijuana prohibition. The law takes effect on Dec. 7, 2023.

As previously reported, the law legalizes the possession of cannabis for adults 21 and older and establishes a Division of Cannabis Control (the “DCC”) within the Ohio Department of Commerce, which will be tasked generally with the responsibility of overseeing Ohio’s adult-use market. The DCC has nine months after the effective date to adopt rules for the adult-use program, and initial applications for adult-use operators are expected to be made available within six months of the effective date.

The law requires the DCC to issue 40 cultivator licenses and 50 adult-use dispensary licenses in the forthcoming application round and authorizes the DCC to issue additional licenses two years after the first adult-use license is issued. Within nine months of the law’s effective date, DCC is also required to issue adult-use licenses to existing medical marijuana operators in the state.

Dispensary licensees will be issued an adult-use dispensary license for its current location and a second location if the dispensary licensee does not have any common ownership or control with any level I adult-use cultivator, level II adult-use cultivator, or adult-use processor;
Level I cultivators will be issued three adult-use dispensary licenses at locations designated by application and a level I adult-use cultivator license for their current facilities;
Level II cultivators will be issued one adult-use dispensary license at a location designated by application and a level II adult-use cultivator license;
Processors will be issued an adult-use processor license for their current locations; and
Testing laboratories will be issued an adult-use testing laboratory license for their current locations.

As of Nov. 3, Ohio has 111 licensed medical marijuana dispensaries, 34 licensed medical marijuana cultivators, and 398,057 registered medical marijuana patients.

The Greenspoon Marder Cannabis Group is prepared to counsel clients on opportunities in Ohio. Please contact Adam Koscielski at [email protected] with any questions.

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Ohio Voters Legalize Adult-Use Marijuana

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