Ohio Medical Marijuana Dispensary Approved for Operation

The first Ohio medical marijuana dispensary was approved to make sales to qualifying patients in December 2018. The only problem was that it was still waiting on cannabis products tested by licensed testing laboratories, and at the time none of the testing facilities had been licensed yet. For more background, see our overview of Ohio marijuana laws.

First Marijuana Dispensary in Ohio

In the quaint Ohio village of Wintersville, Cresco Labs established CY+, a medical marijuana retailer, to service MMJ patients with inventory harvested from its own cultivation operation. Indeed, CY+ was the first Ohio medical marijuana dispensary to receive its certificate of operation after regulators completed their final inspection in late November.

CEO of Cresco Labs, Charles Bachtell, noted that “Receiving the first approval to operate is a major milestone in the transformation of the cannabis program in Ohio.” Bachtell also explained that the company was busy harvesting, drying, and curing marijuana so it could submit samples as soon as the testing facilities were permitted.

Delayed Cannabis Testing

At the time, Ohio university Hocking College was preparing for the final inspection of its testing laboratory by state regulators on December 18th. Hocking College Lab Director, Jonathan Cachat, was confident the lab would be approved for operation and hoped to start testing samples of medical marijuana as soon as December 19th.

Once testing began, there was a three-day testing period for cured flower, and even longer for topicals, edibles, and concentrates once manufacturers started producing these products. As a result, only a small quantity of medical marijuana was expected to be available in retailers before the end of the year.

Limited Cannabis Inventory

As the first Ohio medical marijuana dispensary, CY+ and Cresco Labs looked forward to the day they could make their first sale. At first, it would likely stock a limited inventory due to delays in the supply chain; however, the company planned to provide a wide variety of cannabis products for patients approved for medical marijuana.

Moreover, the hold-ups in the supply chain gave CY+ ample time to train its staff, establish protocols, and develop a marketing strategy. Bachtell went on to say that “Our Wintersville staff is trained by leading cannabis doctors and researchers across the country to ensure that our patients’ specific needs are consistently met.”

Preparing for Dispensary Inspections

At the time, there were seven licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in and around Cincinnati awaiting inspection. After receiving a provisional business license, each Ohio medical marijuana dispensary was expected to obtain its certificate of operation within 180 days. However, every time there was a small change to the construction or documentation, retailers were required to submit a variance and request an extension.

One of the best things for dispensaries to do in the meantime is to find point-of-sale software capable of streamlining operations. IndicaOnline’s POS system offers an intuitive interface that is easy to use yet capable of handling compliance, inventory tracking, sales, staff, marketing, and digital signage. Start a free demo to get familiar with our innovative dispensary software and set up a walkthrough with our team.