Within the next week or so, medical marijuana dispensaries located in the Greater Cincinnati area are expected to receive clearance to begin selling cannabis to recreational customers.
Several medical dispensaries have already been granted provisional licenses by the state. All that remains is for a state inspector to give the go-ahead, allowing these dispensaries to begin selling recreational products to the public.
Ohio may be the only state where it’s legal, but that doesn’t mean only Ohioans will be purchasing it.
According to Lt. Justin Bradbury of the Covington Police, the legalization of marijuana across the river hasn’t changed their approach towards it. He warns individuals who plan on purchasing and using marijuana from across the river to be cautious.
According to Lt. Bradbury, there will be no increase or decrease in enforcement regarding marijuana usage. The level of enforcement will remain the same as before. So, if you thought it was a problem before, it still is. However, if you wish to use marijuana, it is suggested that you do it in Ohio and then return, preferably with someone else driving, to ensure your safety.
In Kentucky, possessing less than 8 ounces of a substance is considered a misdemeanor offense.
According to Rob Sanders, the Commonwealth’s Attorney of Kenton County, it’s important to be cautious about what you keep in your car because it could lead to unintended legal consequences.
According to Sanders, possessing marijuana and a firearm simultaneously in Kentucky is considered a felony offense. Therefore, individuals who opt to participate in recreational activities in Ohio need to exercise caution and remember that Kentucky’s laws still apply on their side of the river, and Ohio’s laws do not supersede them. “Our laws are still our laws,” Sanders emphasized.
Sanders was asked by Local 12 whether he believed a significant number of individuals would be crossing the river to purchase the recently legalized marijuana.
According to Sanders, the legalization of marijuana across different states in the US suggests that there is a considerable number of people who use it. He believes that there will also be people in Kentucky who will opt to go to Ohio and use it legally on the north side of the river. “Bottom line is, yes, I anticipate that there will be a lot of people. They wouldn’t be slowly but surely legalizing marijuana across the United States if there weren’t a lot of people who used it. So, I think there are definitely people in Kentucky that will choose to go over to Ohio and do it legally on the north side of the river,” Sanders said.
Indiana State Police (ISP) was asked by Local 12 about the impact, if any, that the neighboring states of Illinois and Michigan had when they began selling recreational marijuana a few years ago.
According to the troopers, there was no significant change in the number of offenses related to marijuana that the ISP was dealing with.
