COLUMBUS, Ohio — Jim Canepa, the director of Ohio Cannabis Control, says that unless the legislature decides to intervene to speed up the license approval process for those looking for a recreational marijuana license, he will approve applications on Sept. 7.
The first round of applicants are what’s called dual purpose. That means those dispensaries that are already selling medicinal marijuana.
Once September rolls around, Canepa says he expects between 300 and 350 recreational marijuana licenses will be approved initially.
Canepa said that Ohio will not allow dispensaries to advertise on billboards or on the side of the road, something he said Michigan did and felt that was mistake.
He says dispensaries will have to be one mile from each other and 500 feet from any school or church.
As for its impact on the black market, Canepa believes it will drive customers away from the illegal seller and explained why.
"If there are customers who have the choice between getting products that are not tested for pesticides and heavy metals and molds and bacteria, E. coli, and a product that is legal and tested and safe and sold by somebody with a permit who is required to follow the law versus some underground exchange in an alley. I think the choice is pretty clear,” Canepa said.
Passage of Issue 2 in November made Ohio the 24th state to allow adult cannabis use for non-medical purposes.
The new law allows adults 21 and over to buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and to grow plants at home.
Issue 2 also placed a 10% tax on all legal marijuana sales. Under HB 86, the marijuana tax rate would go up to 15%. The bill would also allow for local governments and local counties to levy an additional tax on top of the marijuana excise tax of 3%.