Only 49 percent of Ohioans registered with the state’s medical marijuana program are actually purchasing the product, according to the latest numbers released by the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program.
As of April 30, there were 31,075 registered patients in the program with recommendations from a doctor, but only 15,339 of them purchased medical marijuana. That’s a nine percent increase, however, from the 40 percent of patients who were purchasing the product as of March.
In total, 750 pounds of the product have been sold thus far in Ohio, generating $5.8 million in product sales.
There are a number of factors that contribute to the relatively low purchasing numbers, one of which is the cost of medical marijuana in Ohio. According to The Cleveland Plain Dealer, medical marijuana costs an average of $450 per ounce in Ohio. That’s higher than the neighboring state of Pennsylvania, where marijuana can be purchased for as low as $280 per ounce. In Michigan, the cost is even lower.
Another factor at play is the low number of dispensaries that have received a certificate of operation from the state. The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program notes that just 16 of 56 dispensaries have received a certificate of operation.
More people may qualify for the program soon, however, since a state medical board committee is leaning towards including anxiety and autism as qualifying conditions. The board recommended excluding depression, insomnia, and opioid addiction from the list.
An analysis from The Cincinnati Enquirer found that an estimated 3.5 million Ohioans are eligible for the medical marijuana program under the current qualifying conditions.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
