Cannabis is a plant with psychoactive and medical properties. With the legalization of marijuana, more states are turning to it as an alternative source for medicinals. However, some patients still say the prices aren’t low enough yet and that production hasn’t been up to par
Ohio lawmakers have proposed a bill that will increase the number of medical marijuana patients in order to lower costs and broaden access. The legislation, if passed, would allow for up to 70 additional dispensaries and more than 7,000 new qualifying patients per year.In a recent study, Ohio medical marijuana patients reported that prices were too high. Businesses asking for higher rates of tax and fees have been pushing them to the black market, where these drugs are sold at a much lower cost. It’s an issue that has become more prevalent as states legalize cannabis in droves with increasing number of dispensaries opening up across America each year.The “dispensary prices vs street prices 2021” is a problem that many Ohio medical marijuana users are facing. Many patients say that the dispensary prices are still too high, and they can’t afford to buy their medicine on the streets.
Kirkpatrick said that there is also an agreement among owners not to undersell it “simply to collect all the sales.”
“That occurs in other sectors,” she added, “but I believe there is a mutual respect among all of the owners to sell at the current amount.”
According to the study data, the price of plant product in Ohio dispensaries has actually dropped from the beginning of 2019, when it was about $17 per gram. Despite a rise in the number of growers and dispensaries, the price has remained stable since January 2020, “hovering mainly between $10 and $11 per gram.”
According to Matt Close, executive director of the Ohio Medicinal Cannabis Industry Association, the price of medical marijuana may seem to be expensive since it is not covered by insurance. As compliance and regulatory constraints are handled as the industry develops, he believes this will change.
Close told one news source, “We’ve got more dispensaries coming now, more merchants, more access to goods.”
A lack of home grow alternatives in the state was also highlighted by patients in the study as a source of discontent.
Kirkpatrick believes that this issue should be addressed by a measure filed earlier this year by state Reps. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) and Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) to legalize marijuana for recreational use in Ohio. Adults would be able to grow and possess marijuana under the proposed law.
Kirkpatrick said, “I don’t view it as a danger to the business at all.” “I view it more as… something that is required in terms of patient accessibility.”
The first Ohio medical marijuana sales at a registered dispensary did not occur until January 2019, according to Jana Hrdinova, the administrative director of the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, in the survey findings report.
“Since then, OMMCP has seen a significant increase in the number of patients as well as the quantity of cannabis flower and manufactured units sold,” according to Hrdinova in the study.
Despite increases in revenue and the number of patients and caregivers, the study found that “the number of doctors holding a Certificate to Recommend has actually dropped over the past 12 months.” In terms of the number of doctors per 100,000 inhabitants who may recommend medicinal marijuana, Ohio is currently second to last.
According to the study, OMMCP has also struggled with “chronic levels of discontent among patients and prospective patients.”
According to the poll, 55% of respondents were unhappy with OMMCP, with 25.4 percent saying they were “very displeased” and almost 30% saying they were “somewhat dissatisfied.” In comparison to past years, however, general unhappiness is decreasing. In 2019, 67 percent of respondents said they were unhappy, down from 62 percent in 2020 and 55 percent this year. The study also revealed that the level of discontent has decreased.
“We’re happy that the dissatisfaction rate is decreasing, but we’re going to work with the (state) legislature this fall to get a bill passed that addresses a lot of the issues that arose about five years ago when the bill (to DO WHAT) passed, and hopefully continue to improve things for patients and businesses,” said OMCIA’s Close.
“Five years later, it’s time to address some of the industry’s regulatory problems, which will hopefully drive costs down and improve patient satisfaction,” Close added.
“Some of the complexity in the program,” like consolidating the program, which is located under one agency and two boards, is one of the issues that OMCIA is attempting to solve, he added.
“We’d want to simplify that process,” Close added, “and that’s what the bill would represent.”
According to the study, patients were dissatisfied with patient supply limitations, the difficulty and expense of acquiring a patient registration card, and the fact that some medical problems, such as anxiety and depression, were not recognized as qualifying illnesses. The expense of product at Ohio dispensaries, as well as the cost and difficulty of becoming a registered patient, were the primary reasons given by individuals who said they bought marijuana from other sources.
The poll didn’t only show discontent with the business.
According to the study, changes inspired by COVID-19, such as the increased use of telemedicine, online ordering, and curbside pick-up, have had a favorable effect on patient satisfaction with OMMCP. Participants also said that they had a high degree of confidence in the safety of goods offered at legal dispensaries.
81 percent of respondents said they were confident in the safety of goods offered at Ohio dispensaries. Only 8% of respondents said they were not confident in the safety of dispensary goods.
Finally, although almost 89 percent of respondents said they would prefer to buy marijuana from medical dispensaries if costs were comparable to other options, just 72 percent of respondents with a qualifying medical condition said they buy medical marijuana from Ohio registered dispensaries.
Ohio medical marijuana users say prices still too high. The Ohio Department of Commerce released a list of registered dispensaries and their prices this week, which showed that the average price for an ounce of marijuana was $350. Reference: ohio medical marijuanas registry.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is marijuana so expensive in Ohio?
A: Ohio has a low tax rate for marijuana, which is perhaps one of the reasons that its so expensive.
How expensive is medical marijuana in Ohio?
A: Its difficult to give an answer with medical marijuana in Ohio is so new. Most companies will sell their weed based on the weight of it, but you can generally get a small amount for free if you go to one of these dispensaries and be sure that they are licensed.
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