Today is the effective date of Ohio’s medical marijuana legislation, House Bill 523, which was passed prior to the legislature’s summer recess. While this may be historically significant, not much actually changes today. The program has to be up and running within two years, but today simply marks the beginning of a still long and winding road to a fully operational medical marijuana program in Ohio. The government agencies and boards tasked with regulating medical marijuana will now begin creating rules to govern the program.
The Medical Board will be creating the process for doctors to become certified to recommend medical marijuana. The Board of Pharmacy will begin creating rules licensing dispensaries and the patients who receive recommendations. Finally, the Department of Commerce is tasked with forming rules governing those who will grow medical marijuana and manufacture products. Yet, with no certified doctors to recommend medical marijuana, no dispensaries to provide medical marijuana, and no legal cultivators to grow medical marijuana, September 8th, 2016 will come and go as a relatively normal day. However, the ball will now start rolling and with tight timetables to get the program fully operational, the process will move quickly. Stay tuned for updates as the agencies and boards create the rules governing the medical marijuana control program. In the meantime, below are links to additional information and resources on the Ohio’s medical marijuana legislation.
Medical Marijuana Employer/Employee FAQ
Everything you need to know about medical marijuana in Ohio: Part 1
Everything you need to know about medical marijuana in Ohio: Part 2
Everything you need to know about medical marijuana in Ohio: Part 3