COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio’s marijuana dispensaries will be able to sell higher quantities to nonmedical patients starting this week.
The Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) announced new guidelines for nonmedical sales limits in late May. Beginning Thursday, recreational customers can buy up to 2.5 ounces of flower per day, more than twice the current 1-ounce limit.
A representative from the Ohio Department of Commerce said the lower limits on nonmedical sales were in place to make sure recreational sales did not overwhelm medical marijuana patients’ access. The new guidelines do not change how much medical marijuana can be purchased daily.
The DCC said the change came after closely monitoring the cannabis market to ensure it can support both recreational and medical sales. The DCC said it is still dispensaries’ responsibility to ensure medical marijuana patients have appropriate access to cannabis products.
Under Ohio law, dispensaries can sell up to 2.5 ounces of flower, or dried marijuana plant material, per customer per day. For purchases other than flower, customers can buy up to 15,000 mg of THC between vapes, edibles and other purchases.
The new guidelines bring transactions to the legal limit, which is also the limit for how much someone can possess. Customers cannot buy the maximum amount of flower and THC at the same time, according to attorney J.R. Bernans.
“In order to adjust their purchase limits, dispensaries must be able to maintain an uninterrupted supply of cannabis for medical patients,” Amplify Retail Director A.J. Caraballo said. “Amplify is certain we will be able to maintain a robust, varied supply of a products to care for our medical patients as we increase the daily limit for adult-use customers.”
If dispensaries do choose to update their limits, they have to file a change of operations request online through the DCC.
