Medical Marijuana Control Program
Statement on the Use of Vitamin E Acetate for
Products for Vaporization
On Friday, Nov. 8, the Medical Marijuana Control Program released a statement and guidance regarding the use of the vitamin E acetate in the manufacturing of products for vaporization. To read the guidance, please click here .

  • Attention: Due to the CDC’s findings, the Medical Marijuana Control Program (MMCP) now considers the use of vitamin E acetate in the manufacturing of products for vaporization to be in violation of the conditions outlined in the Ohio Administrative Code. (O.A.C. 3796:3-2-01(C)(6)(b)).
  • Moving forward, MMCP processor licensees will be required to submit all ingredients for vaporization products to its assigned compliance agent. This can be submitted at the time the licensee registers for a Product I.D.

Sample Jar Guidance Update
The MMCP has recently updated its Sample Jar Guidance . Previously, it was communicated that the MMCP was not requiring licensees to submit sample jars for approval. However, licensees should ensure that the sample jars meet the requirements detailed in this guidance to avoid issues at dispensaries. 

Product Return Reminder
The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy communicated the below message to dispensaries this week. We wanted to share this with you because you may receive questions from dispensaries regarding refunds. As detailed below, providing a refund is at the discretion of the licensee. If there are any questions, please contact mmcp@com.state.oh.us :

"In light of the CDC’s recommendation that individuals “consider refraining from using e-cigarette, or vaping products, particularly those containing THC,” we understand that patients and caregivers may ask about returning previously purchased vaporizing cartridges. It is the Board’s policy that medical marijuana products sold as an oil or solid for vaporization may be returned by patients for a cash refund. While refunds are permitted, it is at the discretion of the licensee to refund the patient. Products may not be returned in exchange for another product."
Whole Day Unit and Demarking Reminders
Whole-Day Unit Reminder

Please remember that all processed products are required to be sold in increments of a the whole day unit. This means the Unit THC Content (as submitted for Product ID assignment) must be in a whole day unit. Rounding up to the next day supply for processed products containing a Unit THC content that exceeds one whole day unit. For example, an edible for oral administration that has a Unit THC content of 185 grams is not in an increment that is permitted for sale. 
 
The only exception for this is for products that are less than a whole day unit.
 
For further details, please refer to the Whole-Day Unit Policy Update .
 
Demarking Requirements

As a reminder, dispensaries are not authorized to accept edible products not appropriately demarked. Demarking requires each portion or dose of medical marijuana to be clearly demarked so a reasonable person may intuitively determine how much of the product constitutes a single portion or dose. For instance, a gummy required to be split into two pieces in order to consume a single dose is not appropriately demarked.

Please let me know if you have any questions. 
Employee Badge Reminders
All employees of licensed medical marijuana facilities must be badged . This includes employees who are off-site. Please be sure to review the Employee Badge Guidance.

Visitor Protocol

O.A.C. 3796:5-2-02 states a person that is not a holder of a valid employee ID card of a cultivator, processor or testing laboratory is prohibited from accessing a facility, unless they receive authorization and obtain a visitor identification badge from the cultivator, processor or testing laboratory. To obtain a visitor identification badge, the visitor must provide a valid, government-issued identification with a photograph.

A person who obtains a visitor identification badge must do the following:

  • Be escorted and monitored by an assigned registered employee of the facility at all times he or she is on the premises and has access to medical marijuana;

  • Visibly display his or her visitor identification badge at all times he or she is on the premises;

  • Return the visitor identification badge upon leaving the premises.

Timeline for Receiving Background Check

Background Checks: All employee badge applicants are required to complete BCI and FBI background checks. Applicants can only select one address for the results to be sent. If you have previously sent BCI results to the Board of Pharmacy, you can request a copy of the Ohio background check form to be sent to the Ohio Department of Commerce.


Applicants can submit this form to BCI within 30 days of the fingerprints and request one free update of the Ohio result to the Ohio Department of Commerce.

  • If more than one update is needed, or if the form is received more than 30 days from the fingerprints being submitted, the fee is $8 for each form. Once the form is received at BCI, processing time is up to 30 days.

  • The FBI does not have a similar process for updates, so a new background check with fingerprints must be submitted for every FBI result.
Advertising and Packaging Reminders
e-Licensing Updates: The Ohio Department of Commerce requires licensees to now upload advertising, packaging, and strain name submissions into e-Licensing for approval.

Applications for advertising and packaging will no longer be reviewed if submitted to the mmcplicensing@com.state.oh.us inbox. Advertising includes strain names.