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

Is Cannabis Cultivation Legal in Wood County?

Licensed cannabis cultivation in Wood County for medical purposes was legalized on September 8, 2016, by Substitute House Bill (Sub. H.B.) 523 of the State of Ohio. Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3796:2-2-07 limits licensed medical cannabis cultivation to cannabis crops that contain a maximum tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content of 35%. Municipalities like cities, townships, and villages of Wood County are, however, allowed by Sec. 3796.29 of Sub. H.B. 523 to limit the number of licensed medical cannabis cultivation companies within their jurisdiction or ban them entirely.

Medical cannabis regulation and licensing in the State of Ohio is under the authority of the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Medical Marijuana Control Program (MMCP). A medical marijuana cultivator license for either Level I or Level II must be granted by the MMCP before a cannabis cultivation company can operate in Wood County. Level I medical marijuana cultivator licensees are authorized to grow up to 25,000 square feet of cannabis crops. Level II medical marijuana cultivator licensees are authorized to grow up to only 3,000 square feet of cannabis crops but may apply for more square footage when they reach that limit.

To apply for the medical marijuana cultivator license, a company must have its owners and employees undergo criminal background checks. The following fees must also be paid:

Applications for both levels of the medical marijuana cultivator license closed on June 2023. The MMCP granted, as of April 11, 2023, 32 medical marijuana cultivator licenses in the State of Ohio. Among these, 20 were Level I licenses. None of the licenses were in Wood County.

Successful licensees are required to maintain a separation of over 500 feet between their licensed medical marijuana cultivation facilities and a church, school, playground, park, or library. OAC 3796:2-2-05 mandates that the licensees implement strict security measures for the entire facility, fully enclosing it with fencing, lighting the perimeter adequately, using locks that are of commercial grade, and admitting only authorized employees. They must put in place a 24-hour security system that includes surveillance cameras and alarms. This must be connected directly to the MMCP and local law enforcement authorities. Surveillance footage must have time and date stamps and is required to be saved for a minimum of 45 days.

OAC 3796:4-2-04 mandates the testing of samples from each batch of dried cannabis from a licensed medical cannabis cultivation facility by an MMCP-approved laboratory. The passing result must first be submitted by the testing laboratory to the Ohio Marijuana Enforcement Tracking Reporting & Compliance (METRC) system online before the licensee can sell the dried cannabis batch that was tested.

Is Cannabis Manufacturing Legal in Wood County?

Licensed medical cannabis product manufacturing in Wood County was legalized by the State of Ohio’s Sub. H.B. 523 but is subject to the approval of each municipality. OAC 3796:3-2-07 limits licensed medical cannabis manufacturing to cannabis products that contain a maximum THC content of 70%.

A medical marijuana processor license must be granted by the MMCP before a medical cannabis product manufacturing company can operate in Wood County. Applicants and successful licensees must comply with the same requirements as those for the medical marijuana cultivator license applicants and licensees regarding the application, facility site, and facility security. However, the application fees for the medical marijuana processor license are different:

The application period for the medical marijuana processor license ended on June 2023. The MMCP granted in the State of Ohio, as of December 21, 2022, 44 medical cannabis processor licenses, of which none were located in Wood County.

OAC 3796:3-2-05 mandates that medical marijuana processor licensees implement the same strict security procedures as medical marijuana cultivator licensees. OAC 3796:5-2-01 states that guests to medical marijuana processor facilities must be required to show a valid photo ID issued by the government and be issued a visitor badge. They must be logged upon entering and leaving the facility and must be escorted by facility staff during their stay.

OAC 3796:3-2-06 mandates the testing by an MMCP-approved laboratory of each batch of medical cannabis products from a licensed medical marijuana processor facility. OAC 3796:3-2-02 states that medical marijuana processor licensees must use only tamper-evident, child-proof, and light-resistant packaging on all medical cannabis products and have all these labeled accurately.

Is Cannabis Retail Legal in Wood County?

Sub. H.B. 523 of the State of Ohio legalized licensed medical cannabis retail sales in Wood County of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products solely to medical cannabis cardholders. Each municipality may, however, ban or limit the number of licensed medical cannabis retailers within its area.

Medical cannabis may contain no more than 35% THC content as required by OAC 3796:2-2-07 and medical cannabis products may contain no more than 70% THC content as required by OAC 3796:3-2-07.

The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy must first grant a medical marijuana dispensary license for a medical cannabis dispensary to open in Wood County. OAC 3796:6-2-02, OAC 3796:6-2-07, and OAC 3796:6-3-16 mandate that the same requirements be met by applicants and successful licensees for the application process, site location, and site security as those for the medical marijuana cultivator license. The entry of medical cannabis cardholders to licensed medical cannabis dispensaries is allowed, though. However, unlike other medical cannabis facilities, licensed medical cannabis dispensaries are required to employ security guards to be on-site during operational hours.

Drive-through purchase services may only be offered by a licensed medical cannabis dispensary with special permission from the Board of Pharmacy. This will entail additional security features, such as using bullet-resistant glass.

OAC 3796:6-5-01 set the medical marijuana dispensary license fees as follows:

The application period for the medical marijuana dispensary license ended on June 2023. The MMCP granted, as of June 23, 2023, 92 medical marijuana dispensary licenses throughout the State of Ohio. Two of these are in Wood County, both in the City of Bowling Green.

OAC 3796.06 forbids any form of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products meant to be used through combustion or smoking. Only the listed forms of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products below are allowed by OAC 3796:8-2-06 for licensed retail selling to medical cannabis cardholders, provided each dose or serving contains a maximum THC content of 55 milligrams:

• Cannabis plant materials
• Edible products
• Sprays
• Strips
• Lozenges
• Capsules
• Salves
• Tinctures
• Oil
• Tablets
• Transdermal patches
• Sublingual films

OAC 3796:6-3-08 states that the licensed medical cannabis dispensary is required to scan the purchaser’s medical cannabis card and valid government-issued photo ID to compare with the online Patient and Caregiver Registry of the MMCP for verification. Every sale to each medical cannabis cardholder must also be logged into the same registry.

In accordance with OAC 3796:7-2-04, a licensed medical cannabis dispensary is only permitted to sell a 90-day supply of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to each medical cannabis cardholder every 90 days in two equal purchases. The first purchase can be for 46 days only if the physician’s recommendation is newly issued.

OAC 3796:8-2-04 defines a 90-day supply of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products as follows:

• 53.1 grams of THC in oils for vaporizing
• 9 ounces or 254.7 grams of cannabis plant parts
• 9.9 grams of THC in edible medical cannabis products, capsules, tinctures, or oils
• 26.55 grams of THC in transdermal patches, creams, ointments, or lotions

If the patient is terminally ill, though, the 90-day supply is increased to the following:

• 59 grams of THC in oils for vaporizing
• 10 ounces or 283.5 grams of cannabis plant parts
• 11 grams of THC in edible medical cannabis products, capsules, tinctures, or oils
• 29.5 grams of THC in transdermal patches, creams, ointments, or lotions

Is Cannabis Delivery Legal in Wood County?

OAC 3796:6-3-08 of the State of Ohio prohibits any delivery of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products in Wood County, even if done by licensed medical cannabis retailers for medical cannabis cardholders. However, licensed medical cannabis businesses are allowed to transport medical cannabis and medical cannabis products to and from each other.

How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Wood County

Residents of Wood County may acquire a medical cannabis card once they have been diagnosed by a physician who has been given by the State Medical Board of Ohio a certification to recommend (CTR) treatment with medical cannabis. A diagnosis of any of the medical conditions listed below will suffice:

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

An account will be created on the MMCP Patient & Caregiver Registry online by the physician, where the recommendation will be uploaded. The doctor will indicate the name and email address of the patient and any needed caregiver. Each must show the physician a valid government-issued photo ID.

The patient and caregiver will receive emailed application instructions that include how to pay the $50 patient fee or $25 caregiver fee. A 50% discount may be availed of by veterans or those with indigent status upon mailing the required proofs of qualification to the:

State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy

MMCP Patient Registry

77. S. High Street, 17th Floor

Columbus, OH 43215

Only a digital medical cannabis card will be sent to the registry account of the patient or caregiver but this can be [downloaded or printed out](https://medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov/Documents/PatientsCaregivers/Quick Reference Guide - Activating Your Medical Marijuana Card.pdf#:~:text=PLEASE%20NOTE%3A%20The%20Board%20of%20Pharmacy%20will%20not,you%20to%20purchase%20medical%20marijuana%20at%20a%20dispensary.).

How Has Cannabis Legalization Impacted the Economy of Wood County?

There are no special taxes in the State of Ohio for medical cannabis and medical cannabis products. Only the 5.25% general sales tax of the state applies to every purchase. Municipalities may, however, additionally impose their own local sales tax on medical cannabis and medical cannabis products, ranging from 0.25 percent to 2.25 percent.

The MMCP’s historical data showed the earliest recorded medical cannabis product sales, on April 30, 2019, to be $5.2 million. On June 26, 2023, total product sales were $1,367,405,998.

The Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Crime Rates in Wood County

Medical cannabis was legalized in Wood County in 2016.

Data sent by the Wood 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 was one marijuana possession arrest, the only marijuana offense arrest.

In 2017, a year after the legalization of medical cannabis, there were 42 marijuana possession arrests, comprising all marijuana offense arrests.

In 2019, there were 10 marijuana possession arrests, also comprising all marijuana offense arrests.

In 2021, the latest available data showed 5 marijuana possession arrests, still comprising all marijuana offense arrests.

The number of DUI arrests in each of those years was as follows:

• 2015: No data
• 2017: No data
• 2019: 4 arrests
• 2021: 6 arrests