Medical marijuana dispensary application deadline extended
Volume of applicants leads to pharmacy board’s move.
The Ohio Board of COLUMBUS —
Pharmacy extended the Friday deadline for medical marijuana dispensary applications by two hours after experiencing a high volume of last-minute filiings.
Applicants for the state’s 60 available dispensary licenses had until 5 p.m. Friday to submit applications online, as well as a nonrefundable $5,000 application fee.
The extension was the second made to the two-week application period. Earlier this week, the agency decided to extend the deadline from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. That was because applicants couldn’t access the online application form Tuesday morning while the software was being updated and because applicants were locked out later that day because online site was mistakenly set to close at 2 p.m. Tuesday instead of Friday.
Pharmacy board spokesman Cameron McNamee said the online application system was developed in house, and the board has lots of experience collecting documents through its online software.
“We’re confident all the materials will be where they are and uploaded in a timely fashion,” McNamee said earlier this week.
Ohio lawmakers legalized medical marijuana in 2016, but gave three state agencies two years to set up a tightly regulated program. Ohioans with one of 21 medical conditions will be able to buy and use medical marijuana if recommended to them by a physician.
The Ohio Department of Commerce awarded the first round of medical marijuana cultivation licenses earlier this month and is expected to announce the rest later this month.
The pharmacy board expected to receive more than 200 applications for up to 60 dispensary licenses statewide, with up to 18 in Northeast Ohio. Applicants have to submit business, security and financial plans as well as undergo a background check. Licensees have to pay a $70,000 license fee every other year.