With recreational sales expected to begin by the end of the month, more suburbs are pumping the brakes on pot, as least for the time being.
HUDSON, Ohio — It’s a waiting game for the first medical marijuana dispensaries in Ohio to get the green light from the state to begin recreational marijuana sales, expected by many in the industry to happen by the end of the month.
With that in mind, cities and towns are wasting no time in passing bans on marijuana dispensaries and cultivating facilities, or pausing any decision to do so, until Ohio fully implements its statewide adult-use cannabis program in September. According to the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center at Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law, there are 56 Ohio municipalities that have enacted moratoriums on adult-use cannabis operators.
But already, the landscape continues to change, and some municipalities on the list have altered their plans. As of June 12, 3News confirmed these Northeast Ohio cities that have banned marijuana dispensaries and cultivating facilities include (but are not limited to):
Avon (passed ban in April 2024)Avon Lake (May 2024)North Olmsted (December 2023)Strongsville (March 2024)Westlake (April 2024)