Customers flock to Ratio Cannabis as recreational marijuana sales begin in Ohio

GOSHEN TOWNSHIP ‒ Business has been brisk at Ratio Cannabis since the beginning of recreational marijuana sales in Ohio on Tuesday.

The business, located in a former drive-through beverage store at 1145 W. High Ave., opened in 2023 as a medical marijuana dispensary and is one of the first dispensaries in Ohio licensed to sell recreational marijuana. It is the only dispensary in Tuscarawas County.

Cody Hennis of New Philadelphia purchased some recreational marijuana at the business on Wednesday.

Dispensary opens: A first look inside the soon-to-open Ratio Cannabis medical marijuana dispensary

"I think it's a good thing that the stigma around marijuana is decreasing, and it's becoming more popular," he said. "It's just nice to see people come out of the woodwork, you know maybe closeted weed smokers, per se."

Another recreational marijuana customer, Dorian Albaugh of Dennison, said she thought the sale of recreational marijuana is a good thing. "It's nice to have the ability to unwind with something like this. Alcohol is legal everywhere, and that causes a lot more issues in my opinion than weed does. I think it's actually beneficial for a lot of people in a lot of different ways."

Smooth first day of business

Luke Marino, the owner of Ratio Cannabis, said the first day of selling recreational marijuana went smoothly. The dispensary served 417 people on Tuesday.

"It was hard to predict exactly what to expect, but it was kind of close," he said. "We knew we were going to be kind of busy. We staffed up. We had been training and preparing for months now."

He added, "It was exciting. It felt like a big historic day for us and for the area. It went smoother than I thought."

Adults must be 21 years old to purchase recreational marijuana and are required to show a valid government ID upon entering the business. Each person can purchase up to a 10-day supply, with strict limits on what constitutes a day's supply.

Ratio Cannabis takes both in-person and online orders for medical and recreational marijuana.

Dispensaries banned in New Philadelphia and Dover

Last year, Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment, Issue 2, legalizing recreational marijuana, but it includes a provision that allows cities to regulate the sale of medical and recreational marijuana within their corporate limits.

Banning recreational marijuana: Dover to consider legislation to ban recreational marijuana dispensaries in the city

Both New Philadelphia and Dover have banned medical and recreational marijuana dispensaries, but Ratio Cannabis sits on an island of Goshen Township property surrounded by land that lies within the municipal corporation of New Philadelphia, and in the city's busy commercial corridor.

New Philadelphia Law Director Marvin Fete said he is not opposed to medical marijuana provided it is tightly controlled and under the direct supervision of a doctor responsible for the health and care of their patient.

"Recreational marijuana is a different animal altogether," he said. "I introduced the ban on allowing such dispensaries to be located in the city limits of New Philadelphia because I think it sends the wrong message. As the father of a middle schooler and an elementary aged child, I teach my kids to stay away from drugs because the consequences can be so final. Today with fentanyl pouring across our open borders in such large quantities, even trying something just one time as a kid can be fatal. It is difficult to teach that lesson if they are selling recreational marijuana at the corner store."

Expansion plans

With the increase in business, Marino said he plans to expand parking at the dispensary and increase the number of employees. Currently, he has around 28 full-time employees but expects to bring that number up to the low 30s.

He noted his staff is well-trained and has a deep knowledge base on marijuana products.

He said he has gotten a lot of support from the medical community for the medical marijuana dispensary because residents haven't had to travel so far for medical care.

"We're already starting to hear similar sentiments for the adult use. It feels very humbling to get a lot of well wishes and the appreciation we've got from the community," Marino said.

Reach Jon at 330-364-8415 or at jon.baker@timesreporter.com.

This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Customers flock to Ratio Cannabis as recreational marijuana sales begin in Ohio