Ohio Governor Signs Medical Cannabis Bill Into Law

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The ink is now dry on an Ohio bill legalizing medical marijuana, making the state the 26th to join the MMJ fold and putting the country past the halfway mark for states that have approved viable medical cannabis programs.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed the legislation into law with little fanfare, Cleveland.com reported Wednesday afternoon.

Ohio follows Louisiana, which became the 25th last month, and Pennsylvania, which became No. 24 in April.

State regulators must still write many of the details for implementing Ohio’s MMJ law. But the program easily could become one of the largest in the nation.

The law allows patients with 21 different ailments to qualify for MMJ, including those with chronic pain, glaucoma, cancer, and several other common maladies.

The state also has followed a new trend among lawmakers in newer MMJ markets, in that it prohibits smoking medical cannabis. But unlike Louisiana, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania, flower will permitted to be sold at dispensaries so patients can vaporize it.

The law goes into effect in September, but the entire system likely won’t be up and running until late 2017 or early 2018.