CINCINNATI — Even though recreational marijuana became legal in Ohio last week, there’s only one way to legally obtain it: grow it yourself.
It’s a process that takes three to four months.
Cali Vybe Hydroponics in Finneytown sells equipment to help people grow any type of plant, including cannabis.
“Since Issue 2 passed, we’ve seen a lot more customers coming in,” operator James said. “A lot more new customers wanting to know how to grow.”
The family-owned store, which has been openly roughly a year, said interest in their smoke shop has grown.
In November, voters approved the home growing of six marijuana plants per person, with a limit of 12 per household. However, a state senate bill passed on Dec. 6 lowered the home grow limit to six plants per household.
“A mature plant, home grow, will produce roughly between 75 and 100 joints,” Sherry Maxfield, director of the Ohio Department of Commerce, said at the time.
“I want you to multiply that times the twelve that was available under the statute, per household … More sophisticated growers can get three cycles a year, so you do the math,” she said.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine urged the state assembly to pass the senate bill, saying even six plants per household “still much exceeds what a person would be able to consume themselves.”
The bill also allowed medical dispensaries to begin recreational sales in three months.
With marijuana legal but no place to buy it, state Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said he’s worried about the black market getting a foothold.
However, house lawmakers left for the holidays without taking the issue up.
House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) said more discussion is needed on the implications of the senate’s bill: “It's just on paper, you can't snap your fingers and just make things just because we pass a bill.”
There are legal places to buy cannabis seeds online. That’s because ungerminated seeds have low THC levels.
Issue 2 allows a landlord to prohibit home grow if it is written in the lease.
On Friday, the Ohio Department of Commerce and Public Safety clarified that Issue 2 does not allow the use of marijuana on the premise of an establishment that holds a liquor license. Issue 2 did not change marijuana’s status as a controlled substance. Under the restrictions of a liquor license, no establishment can allow a controlled substance on the premises.
