Ohio's medical marijuana program was to happen this week. Thanks to some unnecessary complications, sometime in 2019 is starting to look a little more realistic.
What's going on? and why, oh why is there such a delay?
Ohio's Medical Marijuana Program, Start Date Missed
Passing a marijuana bill through the legislature and signing it into law is difficult. But implementing the bill itself is probably the trickiest hurdle.
It seems to be that way for Ohio's medical marijuana program anyway.
However, regulatory issues and tiffs between state and cannabis companies have greatly stunted the launch. Of course, the only people truly suffering will be those who need the drug the most, the patients who fought tirelessly to get it into law in the first place.
What's Happening Ohio?
Issues have occurred at nearly every level of the legalization process. Starting with Ohio finding its growers.
The state needed to sign off on only 26 licensed cannabis growers, but it took regulators over five months to score 185 applications. And when it finally finished this, all hell broke loose.
Feuds broke out between the state and the applicants over the scoring system, how applicants were scored, and why certain companies were given licenses over others. Lawsuits were filed and scandals emerged.
One scoring official was a convicted felon, another had a close affiliation with one of the chosen applicants, and, all in all, companies felt the process was corrupt.
And although 26 cultivators were approved, only four were cleared to grow weed. How does that make sense?
Reasons given for this were included: some companies weren't ready for inspections; bad weather hampered construction schedules for others. But in reality, no one from the state was actually pushing forward on clearances anyway.
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It Forgot
56 retail outlets were never informed by the state that they were approved to sell medical marijuana. As a result of this, they didn't prepare for business. They were only made aware a couple of months ago and so, would no way be ready for this week's "promised" deadline.
The state also hasn't posted its medical marijuana registry—this is essential to get patients with doctors' approval officially enrolled in the program. The reason for this delay? A legal barrier that is supposed to prevent patients from getting prosecuted for marijuana possession. That in itself is a whole other story.
Ohio's medical marijuana program is clearly a complicated mess and state officials are looking elsewhere to place the blame. From the outside looking in though, it seems that they are dropping the ball and not picking it up fast enough.
Let me reiterate: the bill was passed for those who are now suffering. Get it together Ohio!
Featured Image: Deposit Photos/mrdoomits
