Ohio voters legalized adult-use cannabis through Issue 2 in November 2023, and the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control oversees licensing including a social-equity and jobs program; Columbus dispensary permits are issued by DCC, not the city.
Issue 2, codified as ORC Chapter 3780, created the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control under the Department of Commerce and authorized adult-use sales beginning in 2024. The law mandates a Cannabis Social Equity and Jobs Program prioritizing applicants from communities disproportionately impacted by past prohibition. Columbus does not issue its own dispensary licenses; the city's role is limited to zoning, building permits, and police coordination. The Columbus zoning code restricts dispensaries to commercial and selected mixed-use districts and requires conditional use review. Equity applicants get reduced fees, technical assistance, and license-window priority for the first round of adult-use retail permits.
Operating a dispensary without a Division of Cannabis Control license, falsifying social-equity eligibility, or violating city zoning conditions can result in license revocation, six-figure fines, and criminal charges under ORC Chapter 3780.
Columbus, OH
Ohio law sets a 1,000-foot buffer between cannabis dispensaries and schools, churches, public libraries, public playgrounds, and public parks under ORC §3780...
Columbus, OH
Ohio Issue 2 allows adults age 21 and over to grow up to six cannabis plants per individual and twelve per household, with strict requirements that plants st...
See how Columbus's social equity licensing rules stack up against other locations.
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