Ohio Approved 7 of 104 Applicants to Process Medical Marijuana, and Only One in Cuyahoga County

It ain't easy being green for Ohio processors looking to turn marijuana plant material into approved forms like oils and edibles.

The Ohio Department of Commerce announced Friday that only seven out of the 104 applicants met the requirements to serve as a processor of medical marijuana, and up to 40 licenses for processes were eligible to be awarded. Another six applicants are still awaiting background and tax checks to see if they will be deemed eligible to process.

Of the seven, only one processor will be in Cuyahoga County. The seven currently approved processors are:

• Fire Rock Processing Ltd. in Columbus
  
• Corsa Verde LLC in Columbus
  
• Ohio Grown Therapies, LLC in Johnstown
  
• Ohio Green Grow LLC in Toledo
  
• Greenleaf Therapeutics, LLC in either Geauga County or Lake County
  
• Grow Ohio Pharmaceuticals, LLC in Muskingum County
  
• Standard Farms Ohio LLC in Cuyahoga County
  

Of the initial seven, processors Fire Rock, Grow Ohio and Ohio Green Grow also have cultivator licensees.

Ohio's medical marijuana law allows the sale of the plant material for vaping, as well as oils, lotions, patches, tinctures and edibles. Cultivators will be able to package dried flower to sell to dispensaries, but all other products require a separate processor license to produce and package.

Rejected applicants will have the chance to submit additional clarifying information with the hopes of receiving a license in the next round. The state programs are supposed to be up and running this September, but none of the processors will be ready in time.