Julie Winter, the senior vice president and general manager of AYR Wellness’ New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio locations, said their Dayton dispensary has seen a 200% boost in sales compared to its medical-only sales average.
“We are thrilled to report that recreational sales now represent more than two-thirds of our total sales,” Winters said. “We are delighted to be among the first to serve the Ohio market with dual-use sales, and are excited about the positive response from both new and existing customers.”
What are customers buying? Winter said “flower,” the plant product itself, remains the most popular product category among customers. Vape products and edibles are also popular choices.
Nikki Stanley, the director of marketing for Terrasana dispensaries, said the business’ locations in Springfield and three other Ohio cities saw customers jump from hundreds attending on a daily basis to thousands.
In total, the first day of sales saw 1,300 customers across all four locations for Terrasana. Stanley said the bulk of the business’ sales over the past week have been to recreational customers.
“Everyone is still super excited,” Stanley said. “On the first day, there were already customers waiting in line. They didn’t even know what they were going to buy, they were just excited to be one of the first to check it out.”
A typical Ohio cannabis retailer was generating approximately $12,740 in medical sales a day, according to an analysis by Headset, a firm that tracks the cannabis market in states like Ohio by connecting with more than 3,500 dispensary retailers.
When adult-use sales launched on Tuesday, that number jumped to $33,864, a roughly 270% increase in total sales compared to the past three Tuesdays, according to Headset data.
Cannabis professionals warned prior to the launch of the adult-use program that customers should have patience with their local dispensaries, as demand for products will be high and the supply may be limited.
But dispensary owners this week have reported they feel confident about the stock of cannabis products.
“We have been preparing for the increased demand since the passage of Issue 2, and are well supplied for both the medical and adult-use markets,” Winters said.
Winter said AYR also expanded its staff and added dedicated registers to handle the boost in customers.
Ohio’s recreational cannabis market is poised to see growth through shoppers who may not hail from the Buckeye State, too.
Ohio, with its nearly 12 million people, is the fourth largest state to launch a recreational cannabis program, following California, New York and Illinois in terms of population, Leafwell CEO Emily Fisher said. Leafwell is a business that helps connect cannabis-curious people to resources like medical program card access, therapeutic guidance and other cannabis counseling.
Fisher said Ohio is in a position where it could attract cannabis tourism — people traveling to another place in order to buy regulated marijuana products — from its neighbors without adult-use programs in place. This includes Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia.
“I think that just because of where (Ohio’s) position on a map, with its population, it is set to see a significant increase,” she said.
About the Author
