WINTERSVILLE, Ohio – A veteran with PTSD. A retired government worker and cannabis activist with multiple sclerosis. An Ohio transplant who moved here two years ago for Ohio’s medical marijuana program.

Ohio’s first medical marijuana customers were met with applause, cheers and hugs as they exited dispensaries Wednesday, the first day of legal sales in Ohio.

“I’m ecstatic patients are no longer waiting for relief,” Joan Caleodis of Martins Ferry said.

Caleodis, 55, was the first patient at CY+ Dispensary in Wintersville, at the eastern edge of the state. Caleodis has spasticity, and cannabis takes away her pain while still allowing her to function. She bought $150 of marijuana Wednesday – three containers each holding 2.83g of dried flowers.

Ohio law doesn’t allow smoking but plant material can be sold for vaporization.

Alex Griffith, 30, was the second patient at CY+. Griffith drove five hours from his home in Delhi Township in Southwest Ohio to Wintersville on Tuesday so he could be among the first to buy legal marijuana. Griffith, a Marine veteran who suffers from PTSD, left the dispensary with a smile and a sense of relief. He often goes days without sleep, and he was looking forward to finally getting a good night's rest.

“Now that I have medical cannabis I can start living my life and get that quality of life back. I can be Alex again,” Griffith said.

Griffith said the five containers he bought will probably last him about three weeks, and he'll make the drive again unless another dispensary opens closer to home.

The first medical marijuana sales in Ohio took place at four retail stores: CY+ and Ohio Valley Natural Relief in Wintersville, The Botanist in Canton and The Forest Sandusky in Sandusky.

Dispensary owners prepared for large crowds on what is essentially the program's opening day. They set up space heaters and heated tents for waiting customers and served coffee and hot chocolate; food was prohibited by the state's strict rules for the industry.

Initial prices were more expensive than other highly-regulated medical marijuana states. Dried marijuana flower – the only product available at first – was priced around $50 per 2.83 g. State regulations require plant material to be packaged and sold in 2.83 g amounts – one-tenth of an ounce that growers have nicknamed an "Ohio tenth."

Ohio Valley Natural Relief was the only dispensary that did not limit purchases beyond 8 ounces within a 90-day period, the limit set in state law.

"We know a lot of people have been waiting for it and will be driving a long way," owner Mike Petrella said. "We don’t want somebody driving, who gets there early in the morning, to not buy what they need. It's first come, first served."

A small, slow start

The day is a huge milestone for a program that was created with a law passed in June 2016 and was supposed to be fully functioning more than four months ago.

But there is still a long way to go.

If program roll-outs in other states are any indication, there will be more hiccups, delays and shortages as the new, highly-regulated industry takes shape. Initial supply will be low and sell out quickly.

The state's patient registry opened just five weeks ago, and about 4,000 patients have completed the registration process. Ohio law allows patients with one of 21 medical conditions to buy and use marijuana if recommended by a physician. Only 374 doctors have been approved to recommend marijuana and start the patient registration process, and many of them aren't yet participating.

Opening day won't be a reality for much of the state until more dispensaries open this spring.

Dispensary shelves were initially stocked with about 10 strains from a few cultivators – 29 have been licensed to grow but only 14 are actually growing plants. None of the state's licensed processors has passed a final inspection, so the only product available at first will be dried flower, or bud.

In the coming months, as processors come online, patients will be able to buy marijuana-infused oils, lotions, patches, tinctures and edibles.

"Countless Ohioans could benefit from medical cannabis, but only a limited number will gain access to it this week," said Chris Lindsey, senior legislative counsel for national advocacy group Marijuana Policy Project.

Lindsey said the delays experienced in Ohio – from detailed application requirements to new state-specific regulations – offer a lesson for other states considering enacting medical marijuana laws. Thirty-two other states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medicinal use.



"States that create a high regulatory hurdle need to be ready for the additional burdens it places on state agencies and applicants as programs get off the ground," Lindsey said. "Otherwise, a lot of the patients these laws were created to help won’t experience the benefits until several years after they are enacted.

9 a.m.: The first sale

The Forest Sandusky can claim the title of first sale in Ohio.

Ynez Henningsen checked out just seconds after 9 a.m., the official opening time.

Henningsen, 46, works for Standard Wellness Company, which operates The Forest. She moved from Oklahoma to Cleveland two years ago.

Henningsen, a veteran, has multiple sclerosis. Her husband, also a veteran, has post-traumatic stress disorder. Both are qualifying medical conditions in Ohio.

Henningsen never thought Oklahoma would legalize medical marijuana; her old home beat Ohio to its first sale by a month. But the products on dispensary shelves there haven’t necessarily been tested.

“I don’t know that I would have been comfortable participating in a program that was run that way,” Henningsen said.

In Ohio, supply may be limited and expensive, but at least she knows it’s free from pesticides and mold and that she’s getting what she pays for.

“My only concern is my fear it won’t work for me,” Henningsen said.

High prices, few problems

Patients reported paying $50 for a 2.83 gram unit of dried flower, or about $500 an ounce. That’s higher than other medical marijuana states. As in other states, Ohio's marijuana businesses are cash-only. Industry experts say prices will drop as more cultivators harvest in the coming weeks and months.

Several patients waiting outside CY+ said they likely wouldn’t be back until that happens. Some said they’ll travel to Michigan or buy illicit marijuana instead, which costs between $250 to $300 an ounce.

“I understand the need to make back the money they put in, but this is – my god,” said Ken Horner, 65, who drove from Dayton to Wintersville.

Bill Schmitt Jr., a cannabis activist from Bellaire, said the high prices and small number of open dispensaries will make it hard for people with serious medical conditions to buy legal marijuana. Schmitt donated $150 to Caleodis to make her first purchase.

“This is still going to leave patients to depend on the black market,” Schmitt said.

Multiple dispensaries had problems with the point of sale system, patients told The Enquirer, but they were able to resume sales within 30 minutes. The Ohio State Board of Pharmacy, which oversees the dispensary part of the program, said Wednesday's roll-out was otherwise smooth.

“We’re excited to have four dispensaries opening today,” pharmacy board spokeswoman Ali Simon said. “It’s been a long time and a lot of work to get this patient-centered program in place.”

Traveling from near and far

Ohio’s first sales attracted small crowds of patients and their caregivers, friends and family members, as well as others who wanted to see history being made. Dispensary operators reported a steady stream of customers and high spirits despite long lines and winter weather.

Michael Watkins, 33, made the trek to Wintersville from Wilmington. He tried to treat his ulcerative colitis with opiates, including Vicodin, but suffered from withdrawal. He hopes more patients will consider the option now that it’s available to them.

Watkins, who was waiting outside in below-freezing temperatures, wished Ohio had opened its dispensaries in the fall.

“It’s freezing,” he said.

Michelle Simmons, 42, of Wintersville, has been suffering from scoliosis for 10 years. She has tried various prescription medications to ease the discomfort, but they had too many side effects.

“They made my muscles lock up,” Simmons said.

She hasn’t been an activist for marijuana. She didn’t even vote for the 2015 ballot initiative. But she followed the news of the opening on social media. Her hometown was about to open two dispensaries.

Simmons drove to Columbus to consult with a doctor, who recommended medical marijuana for her scoliosis. She couldn’t find one locally.

What did Wednesday mean for her? “Freedom and like not being trapped in a closet.”

More:Everything you ever wanted to know about medical marijuana in Ohio

More:Want to visit an Ohio medical marijuana dispensary? Here's what you need to know