Marijuana production in Ohio has tripled, while the number of patients seeking medical marijuana has reached a plateau, according to industry experts.
The situation highlights the need to strike a delicate balance between supply and demand until recreational marijuana is legalized in Ohio, reports News 5 Cleveland.
At the moment there are two measures working to get recreational cannabis up and running in the state.
House Bill 168 — also known as the Ohio Adult Use Act — was introduced earlier this month. The bill would let adults to cultivate, purchase and possess marijuana, and allow conviction records for prior cultivation and possession offenses to be expunged.
At the same time, the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol is gathering signatures to put the issue on the upcoming November ballot. Supporters need to gather signatures from roughly 124,000 Ohioans in at least half of the state’s 88 counties by July 5 to send the proposed law to voters in the November 2023 election.
Since the launch of Ohio’s medical marijuana program, growers have significantly increased their production. However, despite reaching record-high levels, there has been a stagnation in patient demand. The Ohio Medical Cannabis Industry Association reports that the number of registered medical marijuana patients in Ohio has leveled off, resulting in a surplus of products that may expire.
Ohio regulations dictate that medical marijuana products must be sold within a year of packaging, after which they are considered expired and must be appropriately disposed of.
While Ohio’s population exceeds 11 million, the number of individuals holding medical marijuana licenses is approximately 170,000. Medical marijuana advocates attributes the lack of patient interest in Ohio’s program to the state’s inadequate advertising efforts and the limited accessibility of dispensaries.