The Division of Cannabis Control (“DCC” or “the Division”) seeks initial stakeholder feedback on the following proposed rules:
Medical Marijuana Patient & Caregiver Registration Fee Elimination
The DCC proposes to rescind the rule imposing the medical marijuana registration fee of $50 for patients and $25 for caregivers annually.
The DCC encourages eligible patients to remain in the Medical Marijuana Control Program (“MMCP”). Remaining as a patient within the MMCP ensures the patient is speaking with a physician about their qualifying condition and maintains access to medical marijuana at current operational medical marijuana dispensaries. Additionally, when non-medical marijuana sales begin, MMCP patient purchases are not subject to the excise tax levied on non-medical sales per the approved statute.
Medical Marijuana Processor Renewal Fee Reduction
The DCC proposes to reduce the annual license renewal fee for medical marijuana processors by half, from $100,000 to $50,000.
Medical Marijuana Provisional Employee Identification Card
The DCC proposes to implement a medical marijuana provisional employee badge to streamline and expedite the hiring and onboarding process for medical marijuana industry employees.
The provisional employee badge process will expedite the typical medical marijuana entity employee approval process by permitting an applicant for an employee badge to begin working in a facility upon submission by the licensed medical marijuana entity of 1) a complete and accurate employee badge application, 2) attestations that the employee does not have any offenses on their record that would disqualify them from obtaining an badge and 3) evidence that the applicant has submitted fingerprints for both a BCI and FBI background check.
The licensed medical marijuana facility is responsible for conducting a thorough background evaluation to confirm the employee applicant does not have a disqualifying offense and is compliant with all program rules.
A provisional employee identification card is valid for 90 days.
Stakeholders may submit comments to DCCRules@com.ohio.gov through Friday, February 9, 2024.
The Division will review and consider the comments received prior to submitting the proposed rules to the Common Sense Initiative and the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Ohio Revised Code. Both of those processes will provide stakeholders further opportunity to comment on the proposed rules.
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