Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Program Is Feeling Growing Pains

Ohio’s been slow in its rollout of medical marijuana. The cost to patients is still high and the state’s program is not running at capacity yet. Almost half of the chosen cultivators are still awaiting approvals to start growing.

The average cost of an ounce of medical marijuana costs $450, according to News 5 Cleveland. Only 13 dispensaries are operational, but 56 dispensaries were awarded licenses.

More dispensaries are set to open soon, including one in Summit County.

Only flower is available right now. Other forms of marijuana are just starting to be made as manufacturers are just able to start production. Topicals, edibles and tinctures will be available soon – possibly within a few days to a few weeks.

Not all patients want marijuana flower though, so those with cards that want alternative delivery methods are left waiting.

The state has received 22,276 recommendations and 19,395 patients are showing active in the state’s database but only 5,465 have actually made a purchase.

Growing pains are to be expected in a brand new industry. As the state streamlines processes and approves cultivators/dispensaries faster, the industry will improve. When more product and more types of products are available, the prices will come down a bit.