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

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Richland County?

Yes. The State of Ohio’s Substitute House Bill (Sub. H.B.) 523 legalized licensed cannabis cultivation solely for medical use in Richland County on September 8, 2016. However, in accordance with Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3796:2-2-07, medical cannabis plant materials can only have a maximum content by weight of 35% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Sec. 3796.29 of Sub. H.B. 523 allows municipalities of Richland County to create ordinances to ban commercial cannabis cultivation businesses in their areas or to limit their number.

The Medical Marijuana Control Program (MMCP) of the State of Ohio was created by Sub. H.B. 523 under the Ohio Department of Commerce to regulate and license medical cannabis statewide. A medical cannabis cultivation company that intends to open in Richland County must first obtain a medical marijuana cultivator license from the MMCP. Holders of the Level I medical marijuana cultivator license are allowed to grow medical cannabis crops to a maximum of 25,000 square feet. Holders of the Level II medical marijuana cultivator license are only allowed to grow medical cannabis crops to a maximum of 3,000 square feet. However, upon reaching that limit, they may apply to the MMCP for added square footage.

The employees and owners of companies that are applying for the medical marijuana cultivator license are required to pass a criminal background check. The company must also pay the following fees:

The application period for Level I and Level II medical marijuana cultivator licenses ended in June 2023. MMCP data, as of April 11, 2023, showed that 32 medical marijuana cultivator licenses had been issued throughout the state, with Level I licenses numbering 20. None of them were located in Richland County.

Medical marijuana cultivator licensees must separate their medical marijuana cultivation facilities from any school, church, park, playground, or library by more than 500 feet. They are required by OAC 3796:2-2-05 to do medical cannabis cultivation in a facility that is fully enclosed by fencing and equipped with an MMCP-approved commercial-grade security system to keep out unauthorized people and prevent theft. The security system must have motion detectors, alarms connected to law enforcement authorities, and 24-hour video camera surveillance with a direct live feed to the MMCP. Recorded video must be retained for not less than 45 days. During a power outage, the security system must be able to run for a minimum of 48 hours. A second security alarm system from a different provider must also be running as a backup.

According to OAC 3796:5-2-01, medical marijuana cultivator licensees must apply to the MMCP for employee IDs for all its personnel, agents, officers, and owners. Facility guests must be required to present a valid government-issued photo ID and be made to wear a visitor’s ID while within the premises. A guest must be escorted by facility personnel throughout the visit. The date and time of each guest’s arrival and departure must be logged.

Furthermore, medical marijuana cultivator licensees are required by OAC 3796:4-2-04 to have a laboratory approved by the MMCP test samples of their dried medical cannabis plant materials. If the sample fails the test, its entire batch must be deemed as waste and its destruction must be reported on the Ohio Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting & Compliance (METRC) system.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Richland County?

Yes. Licensed medical cannabis product manufacturing in Richland County was legalized by Sub. H.B. 523 of the State of Ohio, but only if it has the approval of the municipality where it will be operational. Also, according to OAC 3796:3-2-07, medical cannabis products may only have a maximum content by weight of 70% THC.

A medical cannabis manufacturing company that intends to operate in Richland County must first acquire a medical marijuana processor license from the MMCP. The applying company must pay the following fees:

Applications for the medical marijuana processor license closed in June 2023. The MMCP reported that 44 medical cannabis processor licenses were issued statewide as of December 21, 2022, with none located in Richland County.

Medical marijuana processor licensees are mandated by OAC 3796:3-2-05 to follow the same security protocols that medical marijuana cultivator licensees are required to implement. They must also observe the same requirements mandated by OAC 3796:5-2-01 regarding employee IDs and security measures for facility visitors.

Moreover, medical marijuana processor licensees are required by OAC 3796:3-2-06 to enable the testing of every batch of its medical cannabis products by a licensed laboratory. OAC 3796:3-2-02 requires that all medical cannabis products be contained in packaging that is child-proof, light-resistant, and tamper-evident. They must also be accurately labeled.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Richland County?

Yes. The licensed retail selling in Richland County of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to medical cannabis cardholders was legalized by the State of Ohio’s Sub. H.B. 523, but only in the municipalities that agreed to it. OAC 3796:2-2-07 restricts medical cannabis to a maximum THC content of 35% while OAC 3796:3-2-07 restricts medical cannabis products to a maximum THC content of 70%, both by weight.

A medical cannabis retail company that intends to start operations in Richland County must first get a medical marijuana dispensary license from the State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy. OAC 3796:6-2-07 requires dispensary employees not just to apply for an employee ID but a dispensary employee license.

Similar requirements for criminal background checking and facility security as those for medical cannabis cultivation and manufacturing licensees are required from medical marijuana dispensary licensees by OAC 3796:6-2-02 and OAC 3796:6-3-16. Additionally, licensed dispensaries must have trained security staff on guard during business hours.

A licensed medical marijuana dispensary may offer drive-through purchasing only after seeking the Board of Pharmacy’s permission. The licensee will have to install tougher security measures, such as bullet-resistant glass.

The medical marijuana dispensary license fees to be paid, according to OAC 3796:6-5-01, are:

The medical marijuana dispensary license application period ended in June 2023. As of July 5, 2023, there were 94 licensed medical marijuana dispensaries across the state, but there were none in Richland County.

All forms of medical cannabis to be used through smoking or combustion are prohibited by OAC 3796.06 and cannot be sold by licensed dispensaries. OAC 3796:8-2-06 lists the allowed forms of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products for retail sale to medical cannabis cardholders as the following, as long as one serving or one dose contains not more than 55 milligrams of THC:

• Medical cannabis plant parts
• Sublingual films
• Edible products
• Transdermal patches
• Sprays
• Tablets
• Strips
• Oil
• Lozenges
• Tinctures
• Salves
• Capsules

Medical cannabis dispensary licensees are required by OAC 3796:6-3-08 to check the valid government-issued photo ID and medical cannabis card of the purchaser against the MMCP Patient and Caregiver Registry online. Any accomplished sale must then be reported in the registry.

OAC 3796:7-2-04 allows a licensed medical cannabis dispensary to sell only up to a 90-day supply of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products in the same period to a medical cannabis cardholder.

The following quantities make up a 90-day supply of medical cannabis, according to OAC 3796:8-2-04:

• Creams, transdermal patches, lotions, or ointments: 26.55 grams of THC
• Oils for vaping: 53.1 grams of THC
• Capsules, edible medical cannabis products, oils, or tinctures: 9.9 grams of THC
• Cannabis plant parts: 9 ounces or 254.7 grams

The 90-day supply for terminally ill patients is higher, as follows:

• Creams, transdermal patches, lotions, or ointments: 29.5 grams of THC
• Oils for vaping: 59 grams of THC
• Capsules, edible medical cannabis products, oils, or tinctures: 11 grams of THC
• Cannabis plant parts: 10 ounces or 283.5 grams

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Richland County?

No. The delivery of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products by licensed dispensaries to medical cannabis cardholders in Richland County is prohibited by the State of Ohio’s OAC 3796:6-3-08. However, the transportation of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products from one licensed medical cannabis business to another is allowed by OAC 3796:5-3-01.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Richland County

A medical cannabis card may be acquired by residents of Richland County after receiving a diagnosis of one of the following qualifying ailments from a physician with a certification to recommend (CTR) medical cannabis granted by the State Medical Board of Ohio:

• Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
• Traumatic brain injury
• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• Post‐traumatic stress disorder
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Sickle cell anemia
• Severe, chronic, or intractable pain
• Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
• Fibromyalgia
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Hepatitis C
• Alzheimer's disease
• Positive HIV status
• Ulcerative colitis
• Multiple sclerosis
• Seizure disorder
• Tourette's syndrome
• Spinal cord disease or injury
• Crohn's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Any illnesses to be added by the State Medical Board

A patient account on the MMCP Patient & Caregiver Registry will be started by the physician after making the diagnosis, and the recommendation will be posted. A caregiver account will also be started if the patient needs a caregiver. OAC 3796:7-2-01 requires patients below the age of 18 to have a caregiver. The patient and caregiver must present their valid state-issued photo ID to the physician, validating their identities and state residency. The physician will post all information on the registry.

Emailed instructions will be sent to the patient and caregiver to log into their registry accounts, complete their applications, and pay the fees of $50 for the patient and $25 for the caregiver. Applicants who are indigent or are veterans may avail of a 50% fee discount by sending their documented proofs of qualification by mail to the following address:

State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy

MMCP Patient Registry

77. S. High Street, 17th Floor

Columbus, OH 43215

Once approved, a digital medical cannabis card will appear on the registry account of the patient and the caregiver, respectively, that they could download and print.

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Richland County?

The State of Ohio does not levy special taxes on medical cannabis and medical cannabis products but the state’s general sales tax of 5.25% is charged to medical cannabis cardholders on every sale. Local sales taxes amounting to 0.25% to 2.25% also apply.

According to historical data reported by the MMCP, the earliest medical cannabis sales on April 30, 2019, amounted to $5.2 million. On July 3, 2023, total sales amounted to $1,377,445,202.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Richland County

Medical cannabis was legalized in Richland County in 2016.

Data sent by the Richland County Sheriff's Office to the Crime Explorer page of the FBI shows that in 2015, a year before the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 104 marijuana possession arrests and two marijuana sales arrests, totaling 106 marijuana offense arrests.

In 2017, a year after the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 77 marijuana possession arrests, comprising all marijuana offense arrests.

In 2019, there were 76 marijuana possession arrests, again comprising all marijuana offense arrests.

In 2021, the latest available data showed 141 marijuana possession arrests and one marijuana sales arrest, totaling 142 marijuana offense arrests.

In those years, the number of DUI arrests was as follows:

• 2015: 50 arrests
• 2017: 43 arrests
• 2019: No data
• 2021: 47 arrests