Ohio Patients on a Budget: A Guide to Medical Marijuana

It has been possible to get a medical marijuana card in Ohio for several years. The state’s lawmakers elected to pass HB 523 in June 2016, signifying the beginning of MMJ in OH. However, anyone looking to apply for a medical marijuana card in the state had to wait as MMJ sales didn’t begin until September 2018.

These days, the program is well-established, and it is relatively simple to apply. There is some confusion regarding the price of weed in Ohio, though. A significant disparity exists between figures reported by different agencies, with the cost of marijuana seemingly ranging from reasonable to prohibitive.

This article investigates the issue of weed cost, but first, let’s look at how to get a medical marijuana card in Ohio. It is also important to analyze the possible penalties for breaking the state’s cannabis laws.

Getting a Medical Marijuana Card in Ohio

You’ll be delighted to know that it’s possible to get your Ohio medical marijuana card online. Once you’ve ensured that you have one of the state program’s qualifying medical conditions, you can book an online consultation using a service such as MMJCardOnline. This provider links you with a platform that offers appointments via telemedicine. Best of all, you get your money back if the doctor doesn’t provide you with the written certification necessary to complete your application.

If you’re approved for MMJ by a medical professional licensed in the state, they will submit the completed patient registration to the Ohio Board of Pharmacy (OBP), which is responsible for issuing medical marijuana cards in the state. It is up to the physician to send the form within 90 days of giving you the recommendation.

Once the doctor enters you into the state registry, the next step is to use the email you receive to log into your Patient Registry account. Now, it’s time to pay the application fee and wait for the OBP to review your application. If they approve you, they will add you to the state’s Medical Marijuana Control Program (MMCP) registry.

The Department of Public Health in Ohio has to review all received applications within 30 business days. Once approved, you can expect to get your medical marijuana card in Ohio via the mail in 15 business days or less.

Once you have the card, you can possess a maximum of a 90-day supply of weed. The state has a confusing ‘tiered’ system with the amount you can buy depending on the quality of the weed. In a nutshell, you can buy up to eight ounces of weed that has a maximum THC content of 23%. The limit falls to 5.3 ounces if you buy flower with a THC level of between 23% and 35%.

In Ohio, you need to be caught with more than 100 grams of marijuana to land in full misdemeanor territory with a possible 30-day jail term as the penalty. You could spend up to a year in prison on a felony charge if convicted of possessing more than 200 grams.

Counting the Cost of MMJ in Ohio

A report released in 2021 surmised that fully legalizing weed in OH would result in a net benefit of over $444 million. It may be necessary to allow recreational cannabis in the state because, at present, there is plenty of supply but not nearly enough demand.

Despite this situation, holders of medical marijuana cards in Ohio aren’t happy with the current prices. In 2020, Ohio State University (OSU) released a report saying that the average price of MMJ in the state was $18 a gram. The Ohio Medical Cannabis Industry Association disputed this fact, saying the average price was below $11 per gram. The OSU ultimately backtracked and reduced the average price.

Even so, many patients still believe that cannabis is too expensive in the state. Whether full legalization will change this remains to be seen, and it may be some time before we find out.

Final Thoughts on Getting a Medical Marijuana Card in Ohio

With an MMJ card in Ohio, you can buy and possess between 5.3 and 8 ounces of marijuana every 90 days. The cost of weed is falling in the state, although for some users, it isn’t happening fast enough.