Yesterday marked the official start of sales of cannabis for recreational users in Ohio, about eight months after its initial legalization.
Nearly 100 cannabis dispensaries in Ohio were given the green light to open their doors to the public on Tuesday (August 6) after the state regulator, the Division of Cannabis Control (DCC), issued a second batch of dual licenses to dispensaries that day.
Some stores, such as those operated by Curaleaf, Acreage Holdings and Ayr Wellness across Ohio, began selling immediately, while other operators are expected to open later this week.
Acreage Holdings, which has opened five stores under its The Botanist brand in Akron, Canton, Cleveland, Columbus and Wickliffe, said it had been preparing for this “historic day” for some time.
“Acreage Holdings has been serving Ohio patients since we began selling medical cannabis on January 16, 2019, and we are proud to be among the first to open our doors to non-medical cannabis sales on this historic day,” said Kate Ols, Executive VP of Midwest Acreage.
“We have prepared our staff and product inventory to serve an influx of patients and consumers over 21 at all five of The Botanist’s dispensary locations beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday and look forward to participating in Ohio’s new hybrid market.”
While stores across the state reported higher than expected business throughout the day – with lines forming outside pharmacies and some customers even staying in their cars overnight – initiatives by companies like The Botanist, which set up outdoor kiosks, ensured that wait times were generally short.
Curaleaf has been operating as a medical cannabis dispensary in Ohio for some time and also began selling recreational cannabis at its Newark dispensary. The company plans to open its Cuyahoga Falls medical cannabis store to customers who use cannabis for recreational use “at a later date and subject to regulatory approval.”
Matt Darin, CEO of Curaleaf, said, “We have been excited about the opportunity to serve a new community of Ohioans and are thrilled to be among the first group of providers to begin adult-use sales in the state.
“We firmly believe that Ohio has the potential to become one of the most exciting cannabis markets in the country and have been preparing for this moment by increasing cultivation capacity and prioritizing flower availability to enable launch.
“After successfully converting several medical markets to adult use, we look forward to introducing the state’s adult consumers to our carefully curated collection of brands and products to help them find the most appropriate products for their diverse needs. Thanks to the leadership of the state and the voters of Ohio, we are now beginning to build a new market that supports both adult and medical customers.”
Ayr Wellness has also opened three adult pharmacies in Woodmere, Goshen and Dayton.
Julie Winter, Senior Vice President for Ohio, added, “The launch of adult-use cannabis sales in Ohio provides an excellent opportunity to expand access to new customers through our growing dispensary network in the Buckeye State.
“The people of Ohio sent a clear message with the overwhelming passage of Issue 2 in November, making it clear that there is a great need for tested and trusted cannabis products across the state. We now look forward to supporting our partners in serving the people of Ohio at the three AYR dispensaries in the state as well as with our strong wholesale presence.”
As The cannabis business As reported earlier this week, after voting to legalize adult-use cannabis last November, the DCC focused primarily on issuing licenses to growers, processors and testing labs, meaning Ohio residents remained unable to purchase cannabis commercially through a dispensary.
To accelerate the transition to an adult-use market, the DCC decided to issue dual licenses, or Certificates of Operation (COO), which will allow existing businesses to begin commercial sales of medical cannabis.
So far, around 230 applications for a dual license have been submitted to the DCC, 155 of which have already received “provisional” approval. The regulator must approve or reject all license applications by September 7.
