Ohio adult-use marijuana sales have officially launched across the state, with multiple dispensaries now open to serve medical cannabis patients and recreational consumers. And one of the first customers was a Republican state legislator who purchased a Willie Nelson-branded product.

As of Tuesday, the Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) has issued certificates of operation to about 100 marijuana shops. Not all of the approved dispensaries have opened their doors, but multiple businesses—including multi-state operators such as Cresco Labs, AYR Wellness and Curaleaf—are ready for business.

Rep. Jamie Callender (R), who’s sponsored legislation to legalize marijuana in Ohio, was among those to first take advantage of the legal market, purchasing Willie’s Reserve products on opening day.

State Rep. @JamieCallender, the marijuana-enthusiast Republican who I’ve been covering throughout the legalization process, was the VERY first sale.

He got @WilliesReserve, grown in Eastlake, Ohio.@WEWS @scrippsnews @WCPO @OhioCapJournal pic.twitter.com/aSe2Hs9uKz

— Morgan Trau (@MorganTrau) August 6, 2024

DCC announced on Monday that it would be issuing 98 initial certificates of operation to existing medical marijuana dispensaries that applied for dual licenses so they can also serve the recreational market. This comes about a month ahead of a deadline to approve hybrid shops after voters approved legalization at the ballot last November.

“A big reason we were able to get to this point ahead of the Sept. 7 deadline was due to the foundation laid through the state’s existing Medical Marijuana Control Program,” DCC Superintendent James Canepa said in a press release on Monday. “Since existing licensees had already met stringent requirements of that program, we anticipated this process to be rather smooth. They had already undergone many of the comprehensive checks as part of that process.”

HISTORY MADE: 7:04 marks a legal recreational marijuana sale at Sunnyside in Columbia Township Ohio.

The first customer got in line last night at 6:20 for this moment.

“Finally, finally recreational,” he said@wlwt pic.twitter.com/ZwOd2ue2jY

— Danielle Dindak (@danielledindak) August 6, 2024

DCC said that dispensaries with provisional dual licenses that haven’t obtained a certificate of operation likely submitted incomplete applications that will need to be resolved before they can start serving patients and adult consumers.

“As the non-medical cannabis market opens, the Division will continue to review and approve those 10(B) dispensary, or bonus licenses, for which eligible licensees have been able to apply with regard to additional locations,” Canepa said.

“Since those additional sites will take time to construct, inspect and receive Certificates of Operation, we anticipate that, over the coming months and years, those 10(B) dispensaries will become operational,” he said. “As required by the initiated statute, come September 2026, the Division will evaluate demand and access data to determine incremental growth and locations for additional licensees in the state. Our Division is committed to continuing our work in developing and proposing rules to help ensure the cannabis industry in Ohio remains safe and secure.”

State regulators confirmed last week that they were prepared to clear select businesses to open following inspections ensuring compliance with the state’s legalization law.

DCC also created an online map where adult-use consumers can view a list of approved dispensaries.

Kim Rivers, CEO of the multi-state operator Trulieve, said in a press release that the company is “proud to celebrate the launch of adult use sales in the Buckeye State alongside Ohioans who have been waiting for this day since last November.”

“We are thankful to our medical patients who have been with us since we entered Ohio, and we look forward to serving adult use customers as the state’s cannabis market continues to grow,” she said.

John Hartmann, CEO of Ascend, similarly said the organization is proud to “announce the start of the transition of our Ohio stores to accommodate non-medical customers” and “excited about the new opportunities this brings to both Ascend and the communities we serve”

“We are well-positioned to serve both segments of the market, maintaining our commitment to our current medical patients while embracing new non-medical customers. We are committed to responsibly meeting the evolving needs of our patients and customers and dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of safety, compliance and quality,” he said. “This milestone is a testament to the hard work of our team and the trust our community places in us, and we look forward to continuing to serve them with product and service excellence.”

Kate Ols, executive vice president of  Acreage’s Ohio operations said, said they’re “thrilled to be at the forefront of Ohio’s long-awaited transition into a non-medical cannabis market.”

“As proud members of the Ohio cannabis community, we remain committed to reducing the impact of the illicit market by providing increased access to safe, reliable high-quality cannabis products,” Ols said.

Ahead of the launch, regulators recently distributed supplemental guidance on the rules for opening day events, advertising and more.

Prior to the retailer licensing development, DCC started issuing the state’s first dual certificates of operation for marijuana growers, processors and testing labs in recent weeks so they could begin working with both medical and recreational cannabis.

One way that the division prepared prospective dual licensees on the retail end was by reminding them of what they can and can’t do to mark their opening day. For example, businesses cannot allow on-site consumption, offer samples (infused or non-infused), have music or food trucks outside the shop, promote the opening with celebratory decor on the exterior or hold a ribbon cutting ceremony outside.

However, they are permitted to have music inside as long as it’s not a live performance. They can also offer complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and promote the opening by holding a ribbon cutting ceremony inside the dispensary.

Before a dispensary could secure a certification, applicants that received a provisional licenses needed to first prove that they’ve updated their point-of-sale technology to distinguish between medical cannabis and adult-use sales, enhance security and verify that they will be able to maintain an adequate supply for patients.

Before opening applications, regulators released informational materials to prepare prospective applicants, outlining regulatory requirements they must satisfy in order to be eligible for the hybrid license.

Applications for the dual licenses opened about a month after the legislature’s Joint Committee On Agency Rule Review (JCARR) gave final approval to the proposed cannabis regulations for the adult-use market under the legalization law voters passed last November.

Gov. Mike DeWine (R) doesn’t personally support legalization, but he’s repeatedly criticized the delay in access to regulated products since voters made that choice and possession became legal in December.

Legislative leaders had separately discussed putting together a bill to make various changes to the law, including expediting sales, but the plans have largely fallen apart amid disagreement within the GOP-controlled legislature.

The Senate did pass an amendment package just prior to legalization taking effect, but the House has not taken it up, nor has it moved to advance a different proposal that originate in the House. Senators also recently filed a separate bill to change various marijuana rules.

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Meanwhile, as regulators have worked to finalize regulations for the adult-use market, it already implemented a change in February that allows medical marijuana patients and caregivers to obtain or renew their registrations for only one penny. That fee was then totally eliminated with the adoption of a new rule at May’s JCARR meeting.

The fee elimination is part of an initial package of rules that DCC released in February to implement adult-use legalization.

Following voter approval of legalization at the ballot, the Department of Commerce was quick to publish an FAQ guide for residents to learn about the new law and timeline for implementation.

The governor, meanwhile, has previously pressed the legislature to enact changes to expedite recreational marijuana sales. But he’s indicated that his more immediate concern is regulating the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC.

“This is time for the legislature to move,” the governor, who also raised the issue during his State of the State address in April, said. “We can’t do it ourselves.”

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Photo courtesy of WeedPornDaily.