Ohio Medical Cannabis

Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed legislation legalizing medical cannabis in June 2016, making the state the 26th to join the legal cannabis market. The law set the framework for the medical marijuana program: patients with one of 21 medical conditions could buy and use marijuana if recommended to them by a physician: AIDS/HIV, cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, spinal cord injury or disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, hepatitis C, fibromyalgia, inflammatory bowel disease, glaucoma, chronic or intractable pain, sickle cell anemia, Tourette’s syndrome, and ulcerative colitis. Smoking marijuana and growing it at home were not allowed in the law.

Online registration for patients was launched in December 2018 and the state started licensed sales on January 16, 2019 with the first month sales of nearly $1 million.

In 2023 and 2022, the state generated $485 million and $469 million in annual retail sales via dispensaries compared to $381 million in 2021 and $221 million in 2020.

As of December 2023, there were 120 operational dispensaries, 37 cultivators, 46 processors, 10 testing laboratories and 410,565 (330,280 in 2022) registered medical cannabis patients.

The state has sold around 221,892 lbs. (135,556 lbs. as of December 2022) of plant material and 20,262,493 units (12,631,119) of manufactured product such as edibles, oils, and patches and received $1,612 million ($1,127 million as of December 2022) in revenue from medical cannabis sales since the start of the medical cannabis program in the state, according to the Medical Marijuana Control Program.

Ohio Recreational Cannabis

On November 7, 2023, Ohio voters approved a measure to legalize recreational cannabis. The new law allows adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and 15 grams of concentrate, as well as grow up to 12 plants at home. Purchases will be subject to a 10% tax.

How to Start a Cannabis Business in Ohio?

MJBizDaily predicts that recreational cannabis sales could reach $1.5 billion to $2 billion in the first year of the market’s launch and $3.5 billion to $4 billion by the fourth year.


Ohio Cannabis Market Infographics


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