Elyria, Lorain LLCs get provisional dispensary licenses

Ohio has licensed 56 locations that can sell medical marijuana once it becomes legal this fall, including three in Lorain County.

The Ohio Board of Pharmacy on June 4 awarded those provisional dispensary licenses that give the stores six months to meet state operation requirements.

A total of 376 applications were received.

Eighteen entities applied to sell medical marijuana in the region made up of Lorain, Medina, Wayne and Holmes counties.

The three that were granted licenses are GTI Ohio LLC of 1920 Cooper Foster Park Road in Lorain, NMB Ohio LLC of 709 Sugar Lane in Elyria, and AFS Cultivation LLC of 603 Cleveland St., Elyria.

The executive director of the National Cannabis Industry

Association of Ohio, Thomas Rosenberger, says the board has ended months of speculation about where patients will be able to get medical marijuana.

Three of 31 geographic districts won’t have dispensaries.

They either received no applications or had no qualifying applicant.

Ohio’s 2016 medical marijuana law says the program must begin Sept. 8. Regulators of the program say not all of the state’s growers, manufacturers and dispensaries will be operational by the legislated deadline.

Ohio has selected 12 large growers and 12 small growers to participate in its medical marijuana program, including Ascension BioMedical LLC in Oberlin and Farkas Farms LLC in Grafton.

Also June 4, the board launched a toll-free medical marijuana help-line for patients, caregivers and health professionals.

The number is 833-4646627.