Columbus, OH: Members of a legislative panel have given final approval to regulations permitting the expedited sale of cannabis products to those age 21 and older.
Under the plan, proposed by the Department of Cannabis Control in April and approved on Monday by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, existing medical dispensaries may apply for dual licensure. (State lawmakers approved medical cannabis access in 2016.) Regulators are anticipated to begin accepting applications on June 7th. Facilities may begin engaging in adult-use cannabis sales immediately following approval.
“The sooner consumers have market access to cannabis products, the more quickly we will begin to see disruptions to the unregulated marketplace,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “Retailers provide consumers with the option of obtaining lab-tested products in a safe, regulated environment.”
While state law permits localities to ban the establishment of new adult-use retailers, it does not permit municipalities with existing dispensaries to prohibit them from selling cannabis products to adults.
Adult-use marijuana sales will be subject to a ten percent excise tax in addition to an existing 5.75 percent sales tax. Sales are anticipated to generate between $276.2 million and $403.6 million in annual cannabis tax dollars within five years.
Voters in November approved a citizens-initiated measure (Issue 2) legalizing the possession, home cultivation, and retail sale of cannabis for those age 21 or older. Provisions in the initiative called upon regulators to begin issuing retail licenses by late 2024.
Following the vote, several of the state’s leading Republicans moved to pass legislation gutting many of the initiative’s key provisions. Those efforts stalled after NORML and others generated thousands of communications urging legislators to enact Issue 2 as written.
Twenty-four states have legalized the adult-use marijuana market. Ohio was the 14th to do so by a public vote.
Additional information on adult-use state laws is available from NORML.