Ohio Becomes State of Cannabis Limbo

Ohio's new recreational marijuana law has left marijuana enthusiasts in a state of uncertainty. The law, passed by Ohio voters, allows adults 21 years of age and older to smoke marijuana and grow up to six plants per person or up to 12 per household. However, the state has no system in place to legally buy marijuana, leaving users to rely on the black market.

The Division of Cannabis Control is not set to start processing retailer applications until June, which means users likely won't be able to legally buy marijuana until late summer or early fall. This delay has frustrated Gov. Mike DeWine, who believes that the black market will continue to develop every day that goes on without a legal system in place.

In an attempt to address this issue, the state Senate passed a bill that would allow medical marijuana dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana. However, this bill would also limit home grow, reduce THC levels, and ban the vast majority of vapes, which many believe goes against the will of the voters.

The House has blocked this bill, with Republican state Rep. Jamie Callender stating that limiting home grow is "in the face of a lot of the voters that voted for this." The House is not scheduled to deal with the marijuana issue this week, and it is unclear when they will come to a consensus on the matter.

State Sen. Rob McColley and Sen. President Matt Huffman believe that the current law would create a black market for people to sell marijuana around their neighborhoods. They argue that the voters didn't fully understand what they were voting for and that their proposal was in line with the will of the people.

As Ohio's marijuana laws remain in limbo, it is unclear when users will be able to legally buy marijuana. The House is not scheduled to deal with the issue until at least February, leaving users to rely on the black market for the time being.