JOHNSTOWN – The owner of a botanical oil extraction business in Johnstown and a Pataskala man who wants to help cancer patients represent two of Ohio's applicants for medical marijuana cultivator licenses.

The two Licking Countians, along with three from Franklin County, want to establish marijuana growing operations in Johnstown, which has welcomed the business of companies in the medical-marijuana industry.

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The Ohio Department of Commerce will award up to 24 licenses from 185 applications statewide, with up to 12 licenses going to the larger Level I cultivators and up to 12 licenses for Level II growers. After being awarded a license, a business must be operational by September 2018.

Andy Joseph, owner of Apeks Supercritical, a Johnstown company that manufactures equipment used in the medical marijuana industry, is one of the investors in Ohio Grown Therapies LLC, which seeks a Level I license, allowing marijuana cultivation in an area up to 25,000 square feet.

"Obviously, it's the opportunity to provide Ohio patients with clean and cost-efficient medicine, to continue with our overall mission," Joseph said. “We also intend to go for processing license and dispensary license.”

Richard Haughton, a Pataskala resident who works in Columbus, and business partner Jamie Gaston, a Licking County resident, seek a Level II cultivator license for Buckeye Pharms LLC. Level II cultivators are permitted an area of 3,000 square feet.

Gaston would be the CEO of Buckeye Pharms and Haughton the president and chief operating officer.

“I’ve seen first-hand the benefits of medical marijuana treatment,” Haughton said. “My mother-in-law lives with us and has cancer, and it opened my eyes to it. It’s an excellent alternative to other pharmaceutical avenues.

“To be part of something that is a movement you believe in, the opportunity is there. We’d be part of making history in Ohio.”

Johnstown Village Council has approved a resolution accepting medical-marijuana businesses, and Johnstown Industrial Park has more than 100 acres available for such companies.

Village Manager Jim Lenner said, “We planted our flag in this industry. If we get all five, we’re out of space in the industrial park. We hope to start a new business park of 140 acres on the other side of town.”

The three Franklin County applicants seeking to locate in Johnstown are: Ohio Releaf LLC, of Columbus; Atrium Enterprises LLC, of Columbus; and Solomon Cultivation Corp., of New Albany.

The state received 109 Level I applications, but Joseph said about 10 are duplicates, leaving about 99 applicants. Some applicants are from out-of-state, he said.

“I’m disappointed that Ohio doesn’t have a residency requirement, or at least some level of preference toward Ohio residents, but that’s not the case,” Joseph said.

Haughton said there are 76 applicants for the Level II license, but having a female CEO should help their chances, he said. Minority-owned or female-owned businesses are to receive about 15 percent of the licenses, Haughton said.

“I met with Jim Lenner and I was extremely impressed with their forward stance and being very proactive,” Haughton said.

Buckeye Pharms has a conditional lease on a 10,000-square foot property in the Johnstown Industrial Park, he said.

kmallett@newark

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