Ohio Marijuana Laws
Ohio State Information Page
- Medical Program only
- Decriminalized statewide for minor possession
- Medical patients can possess a ninety-day supply; inhaled forms are not permitted; recreational possession is illegal.
- Cultivation is recreationally illegal, and medical patients are not allowed to grow at home.
Medical marijuana for personal use is legal in Ohio and has been since the passing of the medical marijuana law of 2016; however, recreational marijuana has not caught up. The state has made efforts to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis partially.
A 2022 ballot initiative to allow residents to vote to legalize marijuana for adult use is currently gaining signatures.
State Laws and Offenses
Here’s a list of penalties for Ohio’s possession, sale, and distribution of marijuana, concentrate, or paraphernalia.
- Marijuana is a Schedule I substance in the state of Ohio.
- Federal law states that cannabis is still considered a Schedule I Controlled Substance and remains illegal.
- Marijuana possession of fewer than 100 grams is a misdemeanor punishable by a 150 USD fine and will not result in marijuana arrests.
- Penalties for the cultivation of marijuana are identical to the penalties for possessing an equivalent amount, in weight, of marijuana.
- A gift of twenty grams or less is a minor misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of 150 USD.
- Possession of marijuana paraphernalia is a minor misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum fine of 150 USD, possible community service, and suspension of the offender’s driver’s license for six months to five years.
A qualifying condition for Ohio’s medical marijuana program includes:
- Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease)
- Arthritis
- Cachexia
- Cancer
- Chronic migraines
- Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
- Complex regional pain syndrome
- Crohn’s disease
- Epilepsy or other seizure disorders
- Fibromyalgia
- Glaucoma
- Hepatitis C
- Huntington’s disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Chronic Pain
- Parkinson’s disease
- Positive status for HIV
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Sickle cell anemia
- Spasticity
- Spinal cord disease or injury
- Terminal illness
- Tourette’s syndrome
- Traumatic brain injury
- Ulcerative colitis
1.
Book An Appointment
You will schedule an online appointment with a Leafy DOC medical marijuana doctor at a time that is most convenient for you. Provide basic medical history and book your appointment with a licensed medical marijuana doctor. You will need medical records and the doctor can approve any qualifying condition(s).
2.
Evaluation
Consult with a doctor for 15 minutes to evaluate your ailments, and ask any questions you may have about medical marijuana treatment.
3.
Approval
Within 24 hours after the evaluation, the doctor will send your certificate via email for your recommendation for medical marijuana. After receiving that recommendation, you can then apply with the state of Ohio to complete the registration process.
When does my Ohio medical card expire?
Medical card expires one year from when the doctor completes this registration. This is generally within 24 hours after the evaluation appointment.
Ohio marijuana DUI laws
The penalties for operating a motor vehicle under the influence according to state law are as follows:
- A first offense is a first-degree misdemeanor with a minimum of three days of incarceration, as well as an intervention program.
- A person charged must also pay a fine of up to 1075 USD and have their license suspended for six months to three years.
- With each weed DUI after that, penalties increase, and so does the possibility of incarceration.
- A third offense within ten years is still considered a misdemeanor, a fourth and fifth offense within twenty years is a fourth-degree felony.
- A sixth offense is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years of jail time, forfeiture of the offender’s vehicle, a maximum of 10,500 USD fine, and revocation of one’s driver’s license.
Ohio marijuana growing laws
Ohio does not permit home cultivation for medical marijuana patients at this time.
Ohio public consumption laws
The state of Ohio does not allow public consumption of cannabis. However, many cities have decriminalized possession of fewer than 100 grams of weed.
Ohio city specific laws
The laws listed here are for the state. Cities, counties, schools, universities, and employers may set their own rules and consequences. Be sure to check how marijuana laws differ in each county or town before you use.
In a recent poll, 51 percent of Ohio voters supported the legalization of marijuana for recreational use.
Marijuana use is currently not legal recreationally in the state of Ohio. Due to the medical program that has been established, it will be permitted for medical use only.
Those who have registered with the state’s Department of Health will be allowed possession.
Medical marijuana inhalation devices are illegal in the state of Ohio. Smoking marijuana is not allowed even after the state legalized medical cannabis.
No. Patients and caregivers are not authorized to cultivate plant material at home.
Yes. Ohio law requires all qualified patients to be registered with the state before using cannabis for medicinal purposes.
Application Process Requirements and the following forms include:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- You must be able to provide proof of your Ohio residency
- You must have a diagnosis that qualifies for marijuana in Ohio
- You must submit a signed Physician Certification with your MMP application – and that is where Leafy Doc can help. We can assist with booking your appointment and then provide the Physician Certification so that you can apply to get your medical card.
Cannabis Policy Reform Timeline
1975: Minor possession of cannabis was decriminalized by the Ohio Senate, Governor Rhodes signed the law
2015: A ballot measure called Issue 3 failed to gain support for recreational legalization
2016: Governor John Kasich signed after the state legislature passed a bill to legalize medical marijuana for qualifying conditions in a legislative session
2018: Due to the revised code, the state of Ohio issued its certification to its’ first licensed dispensaries
2019: The licensed sales of and use of medical marijuana began under the Ohio Board of Pharmacy
2022: A ballot initiative to allow voters to legalize and regulate marijuana for adult use is currently gaining signatures.
Some of the Current Cannabis Bills in Ohio
Updated 6.14.2022