Medical marijuana dispensaries will be the first entities eligible to hold licensing for recreational sales.
As of Monday, the Division of Cannabis Control has received 235 applications for dual licenses.
This story is free
We've opened this story as free to help you experience the important and entertaining journalism we're producing. Here are some ways you can follow our work:
- • READ: Ohio issues alert to realtors, buyers about property listing scam, deed fraud
- • READ: What Ohio could learn from Michigan’s recreational marijuana experience
- • SIGN UP: Get the news of the day delivered to your inbox every morning with our free Morning Briefing newsletter.
- • SUBSCRIBE: Like what you see? Explore all special offers here
Three of the roughly 20 dispensaries in Montgomery, Greene, Butler, Warren, Clark and Miami counties have been issued their dual licenses.
This includes AYR Dispensary in Riverside, the Harvest Trulieve dispensary in Beavercreek, and The Forest in Springfield.
“We’re thrilled to hear that AYR Dispensary Dayton has been provisionally licensed to convert to dual-use, which will allow us to add adult-use sales to our existing medical business in the near future,” said Jamie Murphy, the store manager of AYR Dispensary. “We’re working through inspections and then final licensing from the state, and we anticipate being able to serve adult-use customers in Dayton within a few weeks.”
Next up for AYR Dispensary and the roughly 19 other dispensaries across Ohio that have been issued provisional licenses, per the state’s database, will be receiving certificates of operation from the Division of Cannabis Control.
A dual-use provisional license does not permit the holder to sell non-medical cannabis; it is issued as a placeholder while the provisional licensee works to meet the necessary requirements to obtain a Certificate of Operation from the Division of Cannabis Control.
The Division of Cannabis Control has not awarded any certificates of operation to dispensaries to begin selling non-medical cannabis as of this week, according to Division of Cannabis Control spokesperson Jamie Crawford.
“The Division continues to review and process applications roughly in the order in which completed applications have been received,” Crawford said.
The Division of Cannabis Control earlier this month issued provisional licenses to four testing labs, a dozen cultivators and 10 processors throughout the state.
After the recreational marijuana initiated statute went into effect last year, many Ohioans 21 and over have been legally growing and possessing cannabis at home. Although adults can legally possess marijuana, they have nowhere to legally buy it.
Division officials say there isn’t a day selected as the first day of recreational sale.
“Given the foundation already laid through the Medical Marijuana Control Program, current medical permit holders positioned to apply for dual-use status who have already undergone many of the comprehensive checks are anticipated to have a much quicker turnaround for issuance of licenses over the summer.” Crawford said.
Dual license applications opened earlier this month, and the state must approve or deny by Sept. 7.
“It’s an exciting time in Ohio with the first adult-use sales just around the corner,” Murphy said.
About the Author
