Ohio

Ohio medical cannabis sales quadrupled during the pandemic last year but, by the numbers, the state’s total is still far from what was anticipated given the state’s population of over 11 million people.

Ohio regulators are now accepting petitions for adding new qualifying conditions to the state’s medical cannabis program.

The University of Cincinnati is launching a cannabis studies certificate that covers history, culture, society, and regulatory topics as they relate to the cannabis plant and industry.

Ohio’s State Medical Board last week added cachexia, or wasting syndrome, to its qualifying conditions list for medical cannabis. Regulators, however, rejected anxiety and autism spectrum disorder.

Columbus, Ohio City Attorney Zach Klein says he will continue to decline to prosecute low-level cannabis cases despite the state’s crime laboratories having upgraded for the occasion.

Ohio officials rejected a petition to place a cannabis legalization initiative on the November ballot due to invalid signatures: only 271 of the 1,248 submitted signatures were deemed valid.

As per an official order by Gov. Mike Dewine (R), medical cannabis dispensaries in Ohio can remain open to patients during the state’s COVID-19 stay-at-home order.

Cannabis activists in Ohio have submitted summary language to officials for a petition that would legalize adult-use language in the state.

An Ohio man who was arrested with 91 pounds of suspected THC-rich cannabis has been acquitted of drug charges because of the state’s hemp legalization law.

Ohio’s medical cannabis market has come a long way since its launch last January but some numbers, including patient enrollment and operating dispensaries, are still lower than what was expected.

A petition to add being a Browns or Bengals fan as a qualifying condition for Ohio’s medical cannabis program has been submitted to the State Medical Board for consideration.

Bob Bridges, the only patient advocate who was serving on Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee, says he has been removed likely because of his outspoken beliefs.

Ashtabula County, Ohio has joined the growing ranks of local jurisdictions that have opted out of enforcing cannabis laws in light of hemp’s newly legal status.

The Ohio Agriculture Department has planted a pilot hemp crop so officials can practice hemp cultivation and lab testing procedures in preparation for the state’s hemp market launch expected next year.

Ohio is the latest state to legalize hemp cultivation and CBD product manufacturing; the bill had been overwhelmingly approved by the state’s legislative bodies and was signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday.

Standard Wellness has issued Ohio’s first medical cannabis product recall on its THC-infused water-soluble drops after patients alerted the company that some bottles contained dark-colored debris; so far, no adverse effects or illness related to the polluted drops have been reported.

Ohio state lawmakers have approved legislation legalizing in-state hemp cultivation and the manufacturing of CBD products including cosmetics, dietary supplements, and pet products.

Ohio regulators are investigating two cannabis companies accused of lying on their license applications and violating the state’s cannabis industry rules.

Only about half of Ohio’s registered medical cannabis patients have made a purchase at a state dispensary, with most patients saying they are deterred by high prices. In fact, for many patients, it’s cheaper to drive to a dispensary in Michigan.

The Cleveland School of Cannabis announced its first physical expansion after opening two years ago will be a new campus in Columbus. The school — the only state-approved cannabis school in Ohio — recently reported tripling its revenues.

Cincinnati will become the fourth municipality in Ohio to decriminalize cannabis possession, following Dayton, Toledo, and Norwood.

With more than 30,000 patients registered to the program, Ohio’s medical cannabis market has now surpassed $5.8 million in sales since dispensaries opened on January 1.

The school — which offers courses covering all aspects of the cannabis industry — reported $1.125 million in revenues last year after just $360,000 the year prior.