CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — At 12:01 AM this morning, the Sunnyside Dispensary on North Bridge Street in Chillicothe began accepting orders for recreational marijuana on their website, marking the start of legal marijuana sales in Ohio. The dispensary opened its doors at 9 AM, welcoming residents eager to make their first legal purchases.
Residents from across the region are expected to flock to Chillicothe as Sunnyside and its parent company, CRESCO LABS, were among the first to receive approval to sell recreational marijuana. Other dispensaries in the area will have to wait until next month to start selling legal weed.
Analysts predict that Ohio will experience a significant boom in marijuana sales, new businesses, and farming services. The legalization of marijuana is expected to bring nearly $500 million in revenue to the state over the next five years.
However, residents should be prepared to pay higher-than-normal prices as legislators have increased the tax on marijuana products. The first sale of legal marijuana in Ohio marks the conclusion of a long journey toward legalization efforts in the Buckeye State.
