Did medical marijuana get more expensive in Ohio after recreational sales began?

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After NBC4 found it was cheaper -- but illegal -- to drive to Michigan to purchase recreational marijuana, some viewers asked about medical marijuana prices increasing after recreational cannabis sales began.

Although medical marijuana legislation for Ohio patients first went into effect in September 2016, the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control first began publishing average sales pricing data in 2021. In January 2021, an ounce of cannabis flower cost, on average, $245.54 and was only available to medical patients. In 2023, prices were lower but still fluctuated. At its cheapest, Sept. 4, 2023, an ounce of flower cost $153.

Ohioans legalized recreational marijuana in November 2023, although recreational marijuana sales did not open until August 2024. According to data from the DCC, an ounce of marijuana flower cost $169.60 in November 2023, before recreational sales began. In November 2024, it cost $212.58.

According to data from the DCC, marijuana pricing was trending downward before recreational sales began and spiked after they started. However, the data shows sales have decreased since then and are moving toward previous pricing. Department of Commerce Public Information Officer Jamie Crawford said licensed dispensaries set their prices based on factors like product type, supply, wholesale prices, and demand.

"We would note that pricing is highly sensitive to production and demand," Crawford said. "Consumer demand has more than doubled with the introduction of the non-medical program. The price trends are unsurprising as production has started to meet the new market demand over the last five months."

Crawford stressed the DCC does not determine product pricing, it only issues licenses and enforces compliance with laws. Crawford also said pricing is continuing to get less expensive, with the average price for an ounce of plant material ringing in at $198.40 in December 2024.

Ohioans with medical marijuana cards do end up spending less than recreational shoppers, as cannabis patients are not subject to the 10% excise tax that non-medical sales owe. Crawford said the DCC eliminated Ohio's Medical Marijuana Patient and Caregiver Registration Fee in order to help patients remain in the medical control program. Before it was eliminated in March 2024, the annual fee was $50 for patients and $25 for caregivers.

Under Ohio law, only the following conditions can qualify for a medical marijuana card:

Ohioans with one or more of the conditions above can obtain medical marijuana after getting a recommendation from a physician certified to prescribe cannabis. Once prescribed, patients can register online through an email link coordinated by the physician and the state. From there, patients can register and begin purchasing at Ohio dispensaries. Patients must renew their registration each year.