Marijuana at the drive-thru? New rules being considered by Ohio regulators
LORAIN, Ohio (WJW) – Ohioans may soon be able to order recreational marijuana at dispensary drive-thrus, just like they do at their favorite fast-food restaurants.
That’s just one rule being considered by state regulators, as the date of recreational pot legalization in the Buckeye State looms.
The consideration of rule changes was set into motion when Ohio voters approved Issue 2 in November, legalizing marijuana use for adults 21 and older.
“The Citizen” is a medical marijuana dispensary in Lorain, operated by Klutch Cannabis. The Klutch medical dispensary is among those that plan to apply for a license to sell pot for recreational use.
Treasurer for dozens of Ohio political campaigns allegedly stole nearly $1M from clients
The State Division of Cannabis Control is proposing the series of rules that will lay the groundwork for Ohio’s joint medical marijuana and recreational use industry.
“The licenses are essentially the same. Like a dispensary in Ohio is going to be able to serve both populations, but also they are working on harmonizing rules that were drafted by the Department of Commerce and the Board of Pharmacy so that you have one standard to operate a program by,” said Klutch Cannabis Vice President Pete Nischt.
The proposal calls for drive-thru service for adult-use customers, which Kutch Cannabis already provides for its medical marijuana clients.
“What they’re doing now is incorporating, I think, years of their own experience, as well as stakeholder feedback, that could have been from license holders, from patients, from others that participated in the industry, as well as best practices that they’ve been able to glean from other states,” said Nischt.
The proposed rules, which also call for self-serve kiosks like the ones Klutch already provides for its medical marijuana customers, are in response to deadlines created by the passage of Issue 2.
Applications for new dispensary licenses need to be available by June 7, and the state must start issuing licenses by Sept. 7.
What’s new at Progressive Field? Guardians show off renovations, food items
“They’re really focused on changes that are going to streamline the consumer experience, the patient experience, getting rid of redundant regulations that make it harder for us to operate and provide the kind of customer service that we want and just improving access overall,” said Nischt.
As part of their goal to make the dispensaries more user-friendly for recreational customers, state regulators are also considering a plan to extend their hours of daily operation.
The schedule change would allow dispensaries like Klutch Cannabis to stay open until 11 p.m.
Industry insiders say all of the proposals are based on what the state has learned since the use of medical marijuana was legalized in 2016.
“Improve outcomes for patients, for future consumers, for us as license holders, for themselves as regulators, making small tweaks to an already existing program, you know, to make things easier and more accessible,” said Nischt.
When asked when Ohioans will be able to legally buy pot for personal use, Nischt predicted by this summer or fall.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
