Some of Ohio’s medical marijuana growers are harvesting the state’s first legal marijuana, but sales are still a ways off for this potential $400 million market.
The state had hoped to have its MMJ program up and running by September, but regulatory hiccups caused it to miss that mark.
After the plants are cured and dried, the cannabis will be ready for sale – likely by early November, according to the newspaper.
Here’s a breakdown of the situation:
- Although the cannabis may be ready next month, none of the state’s 56 dispensaries are open and none of the five licensed testing labs are operational.
- State regulators told the Ohio Medical Marijuana Advisory Board on Thursday that dispensaries could begin sales by December and a testing lab at Hocking College could open in November.
- No patients have been registered for the MMJ program. However, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy said that as the state’s market nears operation, the patient and caregiver registry can begin.
- Forty processors were licensed in August and have six months to set up shop.
- Roughly 250 doctors have been certified to recommend MMJ, and 26 small and large growers have received licenses.
