Ohio to accept medical cannabis grower applications in June

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Ohio regulators will begin taking applications for its 24 available cultivation licenses in June and review them in July.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, winning applicants will have nine months to meet the program’s requirements. It’s not clear when regulators will choose the winning applicants.


Mirth ProvisionsThe Ohio Department of Commerce is expected to release application forms and instructions in the next couple of weeks, the Plain Dealer reported. Officials will then host a webinar to…

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Week in Review: Pro-cannabis bills in Congress, Canada rec legalization & Ohio’s testing plans

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By John Schroyer, Omar Sacirbey and Bart Schaneman

Federal lawmakers introduce a slew of pro-marijuana bills, Canada eyes legalizing adult-use cannabis by July 2018, and concerns crop up over a little-known provision in Ohio’s MMJ law.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

Congress tries again

Thursday’s news that seven bills were introduced in Congress to reform national cannabis laws was greeted with exultation from many in the…

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Ohio medical cannabis entrepreneurs seek residency rules

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Ohio entrepreneurs looking to venture into the marijuana industry are calling on state regulators to institute a residency requirement for those seeking cultivation licenses.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, several entrepreneurs spoke out during a public comment period this week and urged the Ohio Department of Commerce to require license holders to hail from Ohio.


Spring 2017 MJBizCon Up for grabs are 12 larger-scale grower licenses and 12 smaller-operation licenses. The applications favor proof…

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Week in Review: Connecticut MMJ research bodes well, OH docs hesitant & Maine rec is a go

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By Omar Sacirbey and Bart Schaneman

Connecticut research could benefit the entire medical cannabis industry, a survey shows most Ohio physicians won’t write MMJ recommendations, and Maine’s adult-use program is a go after recount is halted.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

Marijuana beats opiates

Research announcements this week from two respected Connecticut medical institutions provided a fitting year-end reminder that one of the biggest gains cannabis reform has made over…

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Survey: Most Ohio doctors won’t recommend medical marijuana

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A majority of doctors in Ohio will be reluctant to recommend medical marijuana for their patients, according to the Medical Marijuana Physician Survey, a situation that could hamper the rollout of the state’s MMJ program.

Roughly 30% of the physicians who participated in an Ohio State Medical Board survey said they will not recommend medical marijuana as a treatment, and more than 40% said they are unlikely to recommend MMJ.

A dearth of doctors could limit the patient pool, which in turn could hamper MMJ sales.

Of the more than 3,000…

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Draft Ohio cultivation rules: 18 licenses, huge fees

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As many as 18 licenses would be available for medical marijuana growers in Ohio under proposed rules released by the state.

The draft regulations suggest two types of cultivation licenses: one for grows up to 15,000 square feet, and another for those totaling no more than 1,600 square feet. The state would award a dozen licenses for large cultivation operations and six for the smaller facilities.


Conference Deadline ApproachingFees for cultivation licenses would be some of the most expensive in the country, behind only Illinois and New York, if the regulations are…

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Medical Marijuana Now Legal in Ohio as New Law Officially Takes Effect

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Medical Marijuana Now Legal in Ohio as New Law Officially Takes Effect

Patients with qualifying medical conditions will receive legal protections as state initiates process of establishing a regulated system of medical marijuana production and distribution

COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio’s new medical marijuana law will officially go into effect on Thursday, September 8.

Patients with qualifying medical conditions will receive limited legal protections from laws prohibiting marijuana possession, as several state agencies formally begin the process of establishing a regulated system of medical marijuana production and…

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Week in Review: Adverse Trademark Ruling, Ohio’s Cannabis Diversity Plan & MJ at the DNC

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By Omar Sacirbey and John Schroyer

Cannabis trademark issues resurface, questions arise over a plan to increase diversity in the industry, and marijuana makes inroads at the Democratic National Convention.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

Trademark Setback

A federal board has issued a major setback to marijuana businesses seeking federal protection for trademarks and patents, but there are still ways entrepreneurs can defend their brands.

As we wrote about this week, the appeals…

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Ohio Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Vaporization Measure

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Ohio Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Vaporization Measure

Ohio Governor John Kasich has signed legislation into law establishing regulations for the licensed production and dispensing of medical cannabis formulations to qualified patients.

House Bill 523 authorizes the use of various forms of cannabis preparations for the physician-authorized treatment of the following qualifying conditions: acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS); Alzheimer’s disease; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease); cancer; chronic traumatic encephalopathy; Crohn’s disease; epilepsy or other seizure…

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Ohioans For Medical Marijuana Suspend 2016 Signature Drive

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Ohioans For Medical Marijuana Suspend 2016 Signature Drive

With the recent passage of Ohio’s relatively comprehensive medical marijuana bill in the state legislature, a leading campaign working to place the issue of medical marijuana legalization before voters in November announced Saturday that they were suspending their signature drive.

Brandon Lynaugh, campaign manager for Ohioans for Medical Marijuana, made the announcement in a statement to supporters:

Late Friday evening, after considerable discussion, the decision was made to suspend our drive to place an issue on the November 2016 Ohio…

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Ohio Set to Become the 26th Medical Cannabis State

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Ohio Set to Become the 26th Medical Cannabis State

WASHINGTON, DC — Late on Wednesday night, the Ohio Legislature passed a medical marijuana bill, HB 523, which would create a system of retail distribution in the state. The bill passed by a vote of 18-15 in the Senate, followed shortly by a 67-28 vote in the House.

Governor John Kasich (R) is expected to the sign the bill, which will make Ohio the 26th medical cannabis state and the 42nd state with either a medical cannabis or cannabidiol (CBD) law. This means that there are now more than 310 million Americans living in a state whose…

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Ohio Medical Marijuana Initiative Certified, Signature Gathering Begins

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Ohio Medical Marijuana Initiative Certified, Signature Gathering Begins

Ohioans for Medical Marijuana must collect 305,591 valid signatures of Ohio voters by early July to qualify for the November ballot; the proposed measure would allow patients with debilitating medical conditions to legally access medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it

COLUMBUS, OH — The Ohio Ballot Board certified a proposed ballot initiative on Thursday that could establish a comprehensive medical marijuana program in Ohio. The five-member board reviews proposed ballot measures to ensure they represent only one issue.

Ohioans for…

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Ohio Attorney General Certifies Medical Marijuana Initiative

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Ohio Attorney General Certifies Medical Marijuana Initiative

The measure proposed by Ohioans for Medical Marijuana would allow patients with debilitating medical conditions to legally access medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it

COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine notified Ohioans for Medical Marijuana on Friday that he has certified the summary of the group’s proposed ballot initiative to establish a comprehensive medical marijuana program and submitted it to the Ohio Secretary of State.

The attorney general confirmed the group submitted at least 1,000 valid signatures of…

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Ohio Medical Marijuana Initiative Submitted to Attorney General’s Office

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Ohio Medical Marijuana Initiative Submitted to Attorney General’s Office

The proposed measure would allow patients with debilitating medical conditions to legally access medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Backers of a proposed 2016 ballot measure to establish a comprehensive medical marijuana program in Ohio submitted their initiative petition to the Ohio Attorney General on Thursday with more than 2,000 signatures.

The office has 10 days to examine the official summary of the initiative and confirm the petition contains at least 1,000 valid signatures of Ohio voters. The petition…

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Poll: 3 of 4 Ohio Voters Support Legalizing Medical Marijuana

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Poll: 3 of 4 Ohio Voters Support Legalizing Medical Marijuana

Public Policy Polling survey finds 74% in favor and only 22% opposed as advocates prepare to launch a campaign in support of a constitutional ballot initiative that would allow seriously ill patients to access medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it

COLUMBUS, OH — Approximately three out of four Ohio voters support amending the state constitution to make medical marijuana legal for patients with terminal or debilitating conditions, according to a new poll by Public Policy Polling released Monday.

The survey of 672 randomly selected…

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Was Anchoring Medical Marijuana to Recreational in Ohio Bad for Patients?

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Was Anchoring Medical Marijuana to Recreational in Ohio Bad for Patients?

By now, everyone in the medical marijuana reform movement has seen the results in Ohio, where the commingled recreational and medical cannabis voter initiative (Issue 3) put forth by ResponsibleOhio was defeated at the polls by a nearly 2:1 margin.

Aside from sanctimonious hand wringing from recreational proponents treating patient access as a political weapon against those who had concerns with the implications of Issue 3’s licensing structure (which has been talked about ad nauseam and won’t be discussed in detail here), nobody has…

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Swing States: Super-Majorities Endorse Medical Cannabis Access, Men Support Broader Legalization

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Swing States: Super-Majorities Endorse Medical Cannabis Access, Men Support Broader Legalization

HAMDEN, CT — Super-majorities of voters believe that medical cannabis should be legal, and most men additionally support legalizing marijuana for all adults, according to the results of a Quinnipiac University Swing State poll.

Pollsters gauged support for marijuana law reform in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Florida voters backed legalizing cannabis therapy by a margin of 87 percent to 12 percent. A majority of male voters (57 percent) also supported broader legalization, while only 49 percent of women agreed.

Reform advocates are…

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