Marijuana Business Magazine October 2018

New York The state medical marijuana program is adding patients at a speedy clip, and the recent approval of MMJ as an alternative to opioids has the potential to give sales a substantial boost. Over the 12 months ending in July, nearly 37,000 patients were added to New York’s MMJ program, a 128% increase. The gains were driven largely by the addition in March 2017 of chronic pain as a qualifying MMJ condition, which is typically the most oft- cited condition treated by MMJ patients in states where it’s allowed. But allowing MMJ as an alternative to opioids could prove to be even more significant. Ohio Health officials have declared that over-the-counter CBD sales in the state are illegal, despite the products’ widespread availability in grocery and health stores. The Ohio Board of Pharmacy said CBD can be purchased legally only from state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries, though no facilities have opened. Ohio approved medical marijuana in 2016, though regulatory delays have meant that MMJ dispensaries may not open until 2019. It was not immediately clear how Ohio planned to enforce its CBD limit. October 2018 • Marijuana Business Magazine • 29