Allen County Cannabis – Is It Legal & Where To Buy 2025

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Allen County?

The approval of House Bill 523 in the State of Ohio paved the way for the statewide legalization of the use of medical marijuana in 2016. This bill permits licensed marijuana businesses to cultivate, process, test, and dispense medical marijuana to patients and caregivers. However, Allen County has no licensed medical marijuana cultivator as of August 2023. This may change once the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (MMCP) announces updates on the new application period and the Ohio Department of Commerce grants licenses to successful applicants.

Marijuana cultivators are classified according to their approved initial cultivation areas. Level I cultivators grow medical marijuana in an area of 25,000 square feet. Meanwhile, Level II cultivators operate a 3,000 square feet cultivation area. Subject to approval, the cultivator may submit an expansion request to the MMCP. The non-refundable licensing fees are as follows:

• Application fee: $20,000 for Level I and $2,000 for Level II
• Initial license fee: $180,000 for Level I and $18,000 for Level II
• Annual license renewal fee: $200,000 for Level I and $20,000 for Level II

A licensed cultivator must comply with the Ohio Administrative Code 3796:2. Only the approved form and quantity of medical marijuana may be cultivated in an approved enclosed facility. Cultivators shall have an operations plan that covers policies for the production, storage, inventory, and transportation of medical marijuana. Additionally, it must have a quality assurance and quality control plan, implement appropriate waste disposal, and utilize adequate security measures.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Allen County?

Allen County has no licensed medical marijuana processor as of August 2023. Per state laws and regulations, the lawful processing or manufacturing of medical marijuana may only be conducted by licensed processors.

Processors may be classified as standalone, vertically integrated facilities, or plant-only processors. The application fee for successful applicants costs $10,000, while the certificate of operation fee is $90,000. Annual renewal is required and will cost the processors $100,000.

Medical marijuana plants shall only be obtained from licensed cultivators or dispensaries. Plant materials may be processed into medical marijuana products such as oils, tinctures, edibles, and patches containing no more than 70% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Other forms may also be produced as described in Section 3796.06 of the Revised Code.

Medical marijuana products must be placed in child-proof, tamper-evident, and light-resistant packaging before distribution to licensed dispensaries. A label must be affixed to the packaging and contain information such as the details of the plant cultivator, product identifier, batch or lot number, manufacturing date, expiration date, ingredients, THC content, and warning statements.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Allen County?

Yes, it is legal. Dispensaries in the state are licensed and regulated by the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy. As of August 2023, Allen County has one licensed dispensary in Lima that caters to the needs of medical marijuana patients residing in the county. This dispensary offers flowers, vaporizers, concentrates, tinctures, and topicals. Edibles are also available in the form of gummies, chocolates, chews, and infusion powder.

An active registration card, a valid government-issued identification card, and a physician’s recommendation are required for patients and caregivers to purchase medical marijuana. A 90-day supply may be bought in two fill periods, wherein only a maximum of 45-day supply is allowed per fill period. Only patients and caregivers aged 18 and above may purchase from licensed dispensaries. Medical marijuana may only be dispensed from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Allen County?

No, Allen County does not allow the delivery of medical marijuana. According to the Ohio Administrative Code Rule 3796:6-3-08, medical marijuana must not be sold, dispensed, or distributed to a patient or caregiver through a delivery service. All medical marijuana products should be dispensed within the dispensary’s facility.

How to Get Medical Marijuana Card in Allen County

Allen County residents needing medical marijuana should be included in the Patient & Caregiver Registry. To be registered, patients must first visit a physician with an active certificate to recommend (CTR). Anyone certified to have one of the following qualifying medical conditions may participate in Ohio’s medical marijuana program:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Cachexia
• Cancer
• Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
• Crohn’s disease
• Epilepsy or another seizure disorder
• Fibromyalgia
• Glaucoma
• Hepatitis C
• Huntington’s Disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Injury of the spinal cord
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Multiple sclerosis
• Chronic and severe or intractable pain
• Parkinson’s disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Sickle cell anemia
• Spasticity
• Terminal illness
• Tourette syndrome
• Traumatic brain injury
• Ulcerative colitis

The physician is responsible for creating the patient’s and caregiver’s accounts in the registry. The applicant will receive an email to complete their registration online, and a $50 fee for patients and a $25 fee for caregivers is required. A registry card will be received by successful applicants, which is necessary to purchase medical marijuana.

Inquiries may be sent through MMCP’s helpline (1-833-464-6627) or its online contact form.

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Allen County?

In line with Ohio’s laws and regulations, Allen County does not levy a special tax on medical marijuana purchases. However, a 5.75% regular state sales tax and 0.25-2.25% local sales tax are paid for by patients.

Based on the July 2023 state report of the MMCP, the program has recorded 33 cultivators and 44 processors with Certificates of Operation, 92 dispensaries, 648 certifying physicians, 377,384 patients, and 36,003 caregivers. Moreover, a total of 183,114 lbs. of plant material has been sold, amounting to $1.4 billion.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Allen County

Crime rates related to marijuana have significantly decreased in Allen County since the state legalized its medical use in 2016. The Allen County Sheriff’s Office reported the following arrests on the FBI Crime Data Explorer from 2015 to 2021:

• Drug possession offenses were reduced from 17 arrests in 2015 to zero in 2021. Reports also showed that arrests were 22 in 2016, 29 in 2017, 38 in 2018, 58 in 2019, and 5 in 2020.
• Meanwhile, drug sales offenses declined from four arrests in 2015 to none in 2021. There were also no arrests in 2016, five in 2017, three in 2018, six in 2019, and none in 2020.