Ohio
Is weed legal in Ohio?
Medical marijuana is legal for qualified patients and caregivers. Adult-use marijuana is not legal.
For those who aren’t registered with the Medical Marijuana Control Program, possession of less than 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of cannabis is considered a minor misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $150.
Legislative history
HB523, which was signed by Gov. John Kasich in June 2016, created the state’s Medical Marijuana Control Program to allow the use of medical marijuana for qualified patients with a physician’s recommendation. HB523 made the Department of Commerce responsible for developing rules for licensing and regulating medical marijuana cultivators, processors, and testing laboratories. It placed the Board of Pharmacy in charge of licensing dispensaries and setting up a patient and caregiver registry. The Medical Board was tasked with maintaining a list of qualifying conditions and certifying recommending physicians.
Where is it safe to purchase weed in Ohio?
Registered patients and caregivers can purchase a 45-day supply of medical marijuana in one of the following forms:
- Creams
- Edibles
- Flower
- Lotions
- Oils
- Patches
- Tinctures
What constitutes a 45-day supply varies by form and is further complicated by the level of THC in the flower. To see the latest, most accurate information, visit the Medical Marijuana Control Program’s patients and caregivers page.
Home cultivation is not allowed.
Finding licensed dispensaries in Ohio
Medical marijuana card holders can find licensed dispensaries in Ohio and search by major metro areas including Columbus, Cincinnati, and Youngstown. Some dispensaries in Ohio offer curbside pickup services in addition to storefront sales.
Where is it safe to consume cannabis?
Cannabis can be consumed in private. Even though flower is legal, smoking cannabis is not, so patients interested in consuming flower will need to purchase vaporizing equipment or make homemade edibles. Making concentrates at home is also illegal. Oral consumption of tinctures, oils, and edibles is legal as is wearing transdermal patches.
Medical marijuana in Ohio
Qualifying conditions
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease
- Cachexia, or wasting syndrome
- Cancer
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
- Crohn’s disease
- Epilepsy or other seizure disorders
- Fibromyalgia
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis C
- HIV/AIDS
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Pain that is either chronic and severe, or intractable
- Parkinson’s disease
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Sickle cell disease
- Spinal cord disease or injury
- Tourette syndrome
- Traumatic brain injury
- Ulcerative colitis
The Medical Marijuana Control Program accepts petitions to add conditions to the list.
Application process
To register with the MMCP, patients must be Ohio residents and:
- Visit a board-certified physician who is also certified by the state to recommend medical marijuana
- Receive a diagnosis of one or more qualifying condition
- Have the physician create a patient online profile and add a caregiver, if needed
- Complete the online patient profile
- Pay registration fee of $50 or $25 with proof of veteran or indigent status
Caregivers
Caregivers must be Ohio residents who are 21 or older and care for only two patients at a time unless they all live together. Patients may have two caregivers.
First, the patient must visit a physician who will create a patient profile with the MMCP and add the caregiver’s information. Then the caregiver will receive an email with a link to complete the profile and pay the $50 regular fee or $25 reduced fee for indigents and veterans.
Reciprocity
While the law allows for reciprocity, it also states that the Board of Pharmacy must negotiate reciprocity agreements with other states before out-of-state patients can use Ohio’s MMCP and vice versa. As of late 2020, no such agreements were in place. It is possible, however, that other states may honor Ohio MMCP cards.
Lab testing
Producers must use a state-approved lab to test at least half of 1% of the net weight of each batch of cured plant material intended for processing or retail sale in Ohio. It must also test one package from each lot of manufactured medical marijuana products.
- Cannabinoids and potency
- Foreign matter
- Heavy metal contamination
- Microbiological contaminants
- Moisture content
- Pesticide and fertilizer residue
- Terpenes
Frequently Asked Questions
We can’t predict the future, but we do know that Ohio citizens can petition to have a vote on legalization added to the ballot. In 2020, an attempt was made but the attorney general rejected the petition for not following the submission rules. The petition, which was rejected on initial submission prior to signatures being gathered, would have legalized possession and use of marijuana for adults 21 and older.
Gov. John Kasich signed HB523 in June 2016, creating the state’s Medical Marijuana Control Program to allow the use of medical marijuana for qualified patients with a physician’s recommendation.
