CINCINNATI, Ohio – As of August 6, cannabis has been legally sold for recreational purposes in Ohio.
Accordingly, many Kentucky residents travel across state lines to partake in tobacco use, but they can still get in trouble if they bring it back with them.
“I think a lot of people forget that there’s a state line between Covington and Cincinnati and that even if it’s legal there, it’s not legal here. They may end up bringing some back because they think it’s perfectly fine. But if you don’t know the law and you break it, you can still get in trouble,” said Lt. Justin Bradbury, spokesman for the Covington Police Department.
Spectrum News 1 spoke with two brothers who were among the first to make the journey. They also hope to be among the first to open a medical cannabis dispensary in the Commonwealth.
For Joe Cox, it was like Christmas. At least, that’s how he described it to his wife.
“I just started fidgeting, like, ahhh. She was like, ‘What?’ I was like, ‘We can buy marijuana in Ohio this Tuesday!'” Cox said.
He and his brother Doug traveled from Florence to Cincinnati to be the first to legally purchase cannabis without the need for a medical license. Not only for personal use, but also to get a feel for how the dispensaries operate.
They hope to open their own store, “The Blazed Leaf,” somewhere in Northern Kentucky to sell medical cannabis.
“Be sure to look at what they’ve invested in and what their offering looks like. That way we can try to follow their example or hopefully make it a little more convenient and better for the consumer,” Cox said.
They purchased various products from Ascend Pharmacy, making sure to check each label for things the average user may not know or care about.
“It contains 28.5% THC A,” Cox said of one product. “We want to make sure we get the product quality we want.”
The Cox brothers were legally required to use their products in Ohio.
Bradbury said the legality of bringing cannabis back to Kentucky is clear.
“So the laws for possession of marijuana are still the same. Even though the laws have changed in Ohio, they haven’t changed in Kentucky. It’s still a misdemeanor. It’s still a felony that results in arrest. So we recommend that anyone who wants to drive to Ohio to consume marijuana there do so there and not bring it with them,” Bradbury said. “It’s only legal for Kentucky residents to drive to Ohio and purchase marijuana to bring with them if they follow the medical marijuana rules established by the governor’s executive order. If they don’t follow those rules — and there are about eight rules — they could get in trouble.”
The Cox brothers hope to help those Kentucky residents with medical licenses in the future. Joe, who suffers from focal epilepsy, knows firsthand the difference cannabis can make.
“For me, it’s served its purpose. It’s definitely kept me going for 12 years without a real seizure. It allows me to stay conscious and take care of myself, like people who are on medication should,” he said. “Not only will I be providing relief to people, but I’ll be happy myself doing it.”
To do that, he and his brother need a license, which they are currently applying for. Doug says that brings its own complications.
“If we choose a city that doesn’t legalize cannabis, we’ll have to pivot again and find another location. So there’s still a lot of work to do, but we’re looking forward to it,” he said.
In the meantime, you have plenty of opportunity to test products.
According to police, driving under the influence is still a crime, so if Kentucky residents are driving to Ohio to use cannabis, they should designate a driver who will not be drinking alcohol.
