Dispensaries receive provisional licenses

The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy awarded 56 medical marijuana provisional dispensary licenses including several in Northeast Ohio. The licenses were awarded after an extensive review of 376 submitted dispensary applications.

Provisional license holders can now establish dispensaries in compliance with program rules. All provisional license holders have six months to demonstrate compliance by completing a successful on-site inspection by Board of Pharmacy agents.

Once a dispensary is awarded a certificate of operation, it can begin to sell medical marijuana to Ohio patients and caregivers in accordance with Ohio laws and rules.

Prospective dispensaries had to adhere to a set of regulatory requirements to be eligible for consideration, including setting up shop at least 500 feet from any existing school, church, public library, public playground, public park or community addiction-services provider. In addition applicants were required to submit business, operations and patient-care plans for vetting by the board.

“The Board of Pharmacy engaged in a thorough, fair and transparent evaluation process for selecting provisional licensees,” State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy executive director Steven W. Schierholt said. “We believe the provisional licensees selected will ensure access to medical marijuana for Ohioans.”

For more information about the award process, the board developed the following resources, which are now posted to the dispensary page at www.medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov/dispensaries of the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program website.