Medical marijuana in Ohio: Take a peek at first seeds planted

Ohio's medical marijuana program is set to officially begin on September 8 this year, but with some of the delays happening no one is sure when all the marijuana businesses will be ready. The state's first medical cannabis crop was planted on July 31 and the cultivator says they are growing 50 different strains of the plant. It takes roughly 4-5 months for the cannabis plants to reach maturity and then the harvest must be processed into the legal forms of medicine that Ohio allows, such as oils, lotions and edibles. Only 3 companies of the 13 licensed to grow have been approved, ]more inspections for approval are scheduled for later this month. Though the program is set to begin in less than a month officials are hoping to have medicine in the hands of patients before the end of the year. 

Last week, the state said it expects medical marijuana to be available for Ohio patients by the end of the year. Ohioans can obtain medical marijuana only with a certified doctor’s recommendation to treat 21 qualifying conditions.

Only three cultivators, including Buckeye Relief, have been cleared to begin growing plants, which take between 16 and 22 weeks to reach maturity.