OHIO — Ohio’s first year of recreational cannabis sales topped $242 million, according to the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control.

What You Need To Know

  • The sales consisted of more than 32,000 products of plant material and more than 4 million of manufactured product

  • Recreational marijuana sales began in August after voters approved of the amendment in 2023

  • Medical marijuana sales also beat last year's sales

Of the sales, more than 32,000 was plant material and 4 million was manufactured product.

This comes after the state began allowing dispensaries to sell non-medical marijuana in August. Voters approved of a measure in 2023 to legalize it.

As of today, there are more than 124 licensed dispensaries to sell recreational marijuana in Ohio.

While recreational marijuana was approved by voters, others at the state level haven’t been able to come to an agreement on how to regulate the product.

Prior to the law taking effect, lawmakers were trying to make changes to it, such as limiting the number of plants for home-grown marijuana, lowering THC levels and more. However, none of those changes happened as lawmakers couldn’t come to an agreement.

As the new legislature begins work at the statehouse, the law is still under a list of priorities.

While no legislation has been introduced, lawmakers have hinted at changing or regulating THC. In previous months, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has urged lawmakers to ban Delta-8 THC products.

Delta-8 THC hasn't been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Nationwide Children's explained in a previous study that Delta-8 THC is often referred to as "diet weed" or "hemp products," which gives them the misconception of being a safer alternative to Delta-9 THC, which is more regulated.

As for medical marijuana sales, it was over $2.05 billion for the year – much higher than last year’s sales, which was more than $1.6 billion.