How to Secure an Ohio Medical Marijuana License

73 new licenses will be up for grabs in 2021

Ohio legalized medical marijuana in 2016 and sales began in 2019. Due to demand, in April, 2021 The Board of Pharmacy approved adding 73 new dispensary licenses. The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program will be releasing details on the application process for securing one of these additional dispensary licenses in the coming months. It isn’t expected that applications will be accepted until June, 2021 at the earliest.

There are currently 52 dispensaries operating in Ohio. When the medical marijuana program began projections based on similar states forecasted that 12,000-24,000 people would qualify for a medical marijuana card in the first two years. As of January, 2021 there were 136,807 registered patients. According to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program records, the state averages an additional 7,500 registered patients per month. Additionally, there are three out of 31 dispensary districts that currently don’t have any dispensaries operating.

With the 73 new licenses the state plans to use the following criteria:

• Add dispensary licenses for every district that exceeds 1,200 patients per dispensary per district to bring the number of patients per dispensary per district below 1,200 registered patients.
• Any region with less than 1,200 patients per dispensary per district, is not eligible to receive another dispensary license.
• The three districts without a dispensary license will automatically receive at least one dispensary license to meet geographic diversity requirements.
• Patient numbers include both active patients and patients who have registered but have not purchased medical marijuana.

Each dispensary license applicant will be limited to five licenses. The application process includes:

• As previously done, RFA II will require applicants to specify the district(s) wherein they are applying, and provisional dispensary licenses will be awarded based on those districts. The districts will remain the same as in the previous RFA.

• Dispensary applications will be scored to determine who is a qualified applicant.

• All viable applications will be entered into a lottery system, wherein individual lotteries will be held for each dispensary district with available licenses.

In Ohio, The Department of Commerce is responsible for the licensure of cultivators, processors, and testing laboratories, while the Board of Pharmacy is charged with the licensure of retail dispensaries and the registration of patients and caregivers. In the case of physicians, the State Medical Board is to issue certificates to those seeking to recommend treatment with medical marijuana.

The 2021 Marijuana Business Factbook projects Ohio medical cannabis sales will reach $350 million to $425 million this year, a sizable increase over the $221.5 million it amassed in 2020.

We have successfully secured licenses for clients in over 20 markets across the United States. If you are interested in applying for a dispensary license, contact us by phone at (602)-290-9424‬ or email (info@thecannabisbusinessadvisors.com) for more information.