Since its inception in 2018, Ohio’s medical marijuana program has continuously struggled with poor patient accessibility. In November 2020, 62% of registered patients reported having to travel more than 10 miles to reach a dispensary. To improve patient access, the Board of Pharmacy has approved the issuance of up to 73 new dispensary licenses. Interested applicants will need to move quickly, as this application window will close on November 18 at 2:00 pm EST. The new dispensaries will be distributed across Ohio’s 31 “dispensary districts” based on patient population, with a goal of ensuring a ratio in each district of around 1,200 registered patients per dispensary. Some districts will have only one new license available, while severely underserved districts will have as many as 9 new licenses offered.
Sean Hocking, Cannabis Law Report, 09/22/2021 22:26:00