In 2016, Ohio House Bill 523 legalized medical marijuana in Ohio and created the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program; allowing people with certain medical conditions, upon the recommendation of an Ohio-licensed physician, to purchase and use medical marijuana. The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program is administered by three state agencies: the Ohio Department of Commerce, State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy, and the State Medical Board of Ohio. On January 16, 2019, four Ohio dispensaries began selling medical marijuana to patients and caregivers. Today, patient access to medical marijuana products continues to grow while the Department works to build a sophisticated and mature medical marijuana regulatory framework. 

The Ohio Department of Commerce is tasked with licensing, administering, monitoring, and developing and enforcing rules for medical marijuana cultivators, processors, and testing laboratories. Additionally, the Department is responsible for implementing an electronic database for compliance monitoring and production control from seed to sale in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code.

The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy is responsible for the licensing and regulation of dispensaries, and the registration of patients and caregivers. The Ohio State Medical Board is responsible for certifying physicians to recommend medical marijuana and may add to the list of qualifying conditions for which medical marijuana can be recommended. For more information about the Pharmacy Board and Medical Board's role, please visit medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov.