Ohio regulators have reduced the fee to obtain medical marijuana patient cards or caregiver cards to 1 cent, a move that could increase business for MMJ dispensaries in the state.
The new fee kicks in March 4, Cincinnati TV station WCPO reported.
The 1 cent fee applies to both new card applicants and renewals, according to the TV station.
The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) also has submitted a proposal to eliminate the MMJ patient and caregiver card fees altogether.
The proposal went to Ohio’s Common Sense Initiative, a state program that reviews and changes rules that affect businesses in the state.
Currently, the fees are $50 for patient cards and $25 for caregiver cards, according to WCPO.
The DCC also has asked the Common Sense Initiative to reduce the processor license renewal fee from $100,000 to $50,000.
“The DCC believes that reducing the processor renewal fee by half will continue to help fund the cost of administering the program, while providing a more proportional fee schedule,” the agency said.
The agency’s moves to expand Ohio’s MMJ program comes as the state’s efforts to launch a recreational marijuana program have stalled in the Legislature.
However, the director of the Ohio Cannabis Control said he plans to issue adult-use businesses licenses on Sept. 7 at the latest if infighting continues among lawmakers.
