Ohio dispensaries to start selling recreational marijuana. What you need to know

The Ohio Cannabis Coalition (OHCANN) announced on Friday that sales of recreational marijuana will begin as early as Tuesday for some dispensaries.

The use of recreational marijuana was made legal on Nov. 7, 2023. Since then, local dispensaries have been patiently waiting for their license and the green light to sell.

“Tuesday is go time. That means anyone over the age of 21 can come into our Sunnyside dispensary and shop for the first time,” said Jason Erkes, a spokesperson for Sunnyside Medical Marijuana Dispensary in Cincinnati, which has been approved to begin recreational sales.

Dispensaries throughout the Cincinnati area are excited to start selling to customers from all across the Tri-State.

“You know, we can’t wait. We can’t wait and see what the whole process is like, see what the product offerings are,” Erkes said.

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While it may seem simple, there are some things you need to know before you walk into a dispensary to buy recreational marijuana. First and foremost, you have to be at least 21 and show a valid government ID — just like if you were buying alcohol.

“You're allowed to possess two and a half ounces … that's per day, you can buy up to two and a half ounces,” said David Waxman, attorney with McGlinchey Stafford's Cleveland Office. “If you want to keep accumulating it you can, but that's the limit for flower.”

Waxman also told us that you don’t want to be keeping marijuana in your car. Similar to alcohol, you can transport it from the dispensary to your home but taking it to other places could pose a risk.

Taking it over state lines is also illegal.

“Regardless of whether a state has made cannabis legal medically or recreationally it's still illegal federally … that's when the federal authorities can get involved. Not likely that that's going to happen, but they can,” Waxman said.

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Lastly, expect long lines at dispensaries. Waxman predicts more dispensaries will get their license to sell recreational marijuana in the next few weeks but only a select few can sell starting Tuesday.

Out-of-state customers from Kentucky and Indiana will also likely increase the demand and crowds here in Cincinnati.

Dispensaries want you to be prepared for what to expect once you do enter their doors.

“There's a stigma that’s been associated with dispensaries, the way you see them on TV, with glass jars and hands going in and raw and we want to make it clear that’s not the way cannabis is sold anywhere — especially in Ohio,” Erkes said. “Everything is prepackaged and child safety sealed much like what you’d see walking down the aisle at a local Rite-Aid or CVS.”

Sunnyside's locations in Cincinnati and Columbia Township will be open for recreational sales, as will The Landing on Smith Road near Rookwood. The Forest in Clermont County said via a release it will also be ready to sell.

Up in Butler/Warren counties, Shangri-La's two locations will be open to sales on Tuesday, as well, they said in an email to WCPO 9. Also in that area, Columbia Care will be ready for sales, too.

Get the full list here .