Status: Medical only

History:

1975: Possession of small amounts of cannabis decriminalised to a small misdemeanour carrying a fine of $US100
2016: Legalisation of medical cannabis
2019: The first legal sales of medical cannabis began in January 2019

Policy Framework:

• Patients must have a qualifying condition in order to obtain medical cannabis legally (there are 21 listed);
• There is no allowance for patients to cultivate their own cannabis;
• Medical cannabis can only be obtained from a state-licensed dispensary;
• There are an estimated 57,589 registered medical cannabis patients in Ohio, according to the Ohio Board of Pharmacy;
• Possession of less than 100g (3.5oz is a misdemeanour punishable by a fine of up to $US150;
• Possession of more than 200g (7oz) and under 40,000g (1410oz) is a felony punishable by up to eight years in prison and fines of up to $US15,000;
• Possession of more than 40,000g is a felony punishable by at least eight years in prison and a fine of up to $US20,000;
• Gifting less than 20g (0.7oz) of cannabis is a misdemeanour punishable by up to 60 days in prison and fines of up to $US350;

Outcomes:

• Between 2005 and 2017, cannabis use disorder in people over the age of 12 decreased from 1.7% to 1.3%.

Source:  https://crime-data-explorer.fr.cloud.gov/explorer/state/ohio/crime