COLUMBUS, Ohio – Thirty-four Ohio medical marijuana businesses now have certificates of operation to expand into the recreational market, including the first four testing labs to receive permits.
Twenty-four of these growers, processors and testing labs are new as of Friday. The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control initially granted 10 businesses medical and recreational dual-use licenses on July 19. Thus far, no dispensaries have received the OK to open for businesses.
State marijuana officials have said they would approve growers, processors and testing labs before dispensaries, to ensure there’s enough product for customers.
Under the initiated statute voters passed last November, the state has until Sept. 7 to approve or deny existing medical marijuana licensees dual-use permits that allow them to expand into recreational marijuana, serving adults aged 21 and older.
Testing labs check for THC levels, terpenes, mold, pesticides and other substances. The four testing labs that received dual-use permits are:
- Pinnacle Testing and Specialty Lab in Akron
- North Coast Testing Laboratories in Streetsboro
- Smithers CTS Ohio LLC in Columbus
- CP Labs Ohio Operating Company LLC in Columbus
As of Friday, the Division of Cannabis Control has received 230 applications to convert active medical marijuana licensees to dual-use cannabis licensees. The division has granted each business a provisional license, which doesn’t allow them to open to recreational customers yet, but is a preliminary step verifying that the business has submitted the correct paperwork. The 34 businesses that have received a certificate of operation additionally cleared a review with state regulators.
The following are the growers and processors that have received dual-use licenses on Friday:
- Cresco Labs Ohio LLC: Large-scale cultivator in Yellow Springs in Greene County.
- Cresco Labs Ohio LLC: Processor in the same Yellow Springs facility as the grow operation.
- Riviera Creek Holdings LLC: Large-scale cultivator in Youngstown. Riviera Creek received a dual-use processor license on July 19 in the same facility.
- CannaMed Therapeutics LLC: Large-scale cultivator in Columbus.
- Hemma LLC, owned by Ascend Wellness Holdings: A smaller-scale cultivator in Monroe in Butler County.
- FN Group Holdings LLC, known as Wellspring Fields: Small-scale cultivator in Ravenna in Portage County. The company received a dual-use processor license for the location on July 19.
- Grow Ohio LLC: Large-scale cultivator in East Fultonham in Muskingum County.
- Grow Ohio LLC: Processor in East Fultonham in Muskingum County.
- OPC Cultivation LLC, also known as Firelands Scientific: Smaller-scale cultivator in Huron in Erie County.
- – OPC Cultivation LLC, also known as Firelands Scientific: Processor in Huron in Erie County.
- Mother Grows Best LLC, also known as Verano: Smaller-scale cultivator in Canton.
- Mother Grows Best LLC, also known as Verano: Processor cultivator in Canton.
- Curaleaf OGT Inc.: Large-scale grower in Johnston in Licking County.
- Fire Rock Cultivation Ohio Ltd: Smaller-scale cultivator in Akron.
- Farkas Farms LLC: Smaller-scale cultivator in Grafton in Lorain County. The business received a dual-use processor license on July 19.
- Greenleaf Gardens LLC, owned by Acreage Holdings: Large-scale cultivator in Middlefield in Geauga County.
- Beneleaves Limited: Processor in Columbus.
- Certified Cultivators Corporation: Dual-use processor in Dayton.
- Purpose Leaf LLC: Processor in Enon in Clark County.
- Hundred Percent Labs: Processor in Mount Orab in Brown County.
- Fire Rock Processing Ohio Ltd.: Processor in Columbus.
Story originally posted on Cleveland.com