Ohio 420 Doctors
Marijuana is legal in Ohio for adults 21 and older and for registered medical patients. Senate Bill 56 rewrote the rules in March 2026, so here is what the law says now about buying, possessing, using and growing cannabis.
Last reviewed September 2026 against Ohio Legislative Service Commission and Division of Cannabis Control sources.
Senate Bill 56 took effect March 20, 2026, and new medical purchase limits followed on March 24.12
Yes, through two programs. Medical marijuana became legal when House Bill 523 took effect on September 8, 2016.4 Adult use followed when voters approved Issue 2 on November 7, 2023,5 and licensed dispensaries began adult-use sales on August 6, 2024.6
Under SB 56, only three kinds of marijuana are legal: medical marijuana, adult-use marijuana from a licensed Ohio dispensary, and marijuana you grow legally at your primary residence.1
Patients need a recommendation from a physician holding a Certificate to Recommend (CTR) and an active card in the state registry.
A CTR physician confirms you have a qualifying condition and enters your recommendation in the Patient & Caregiver Registry.
Log in to the registry and pay the state fee, which has been one cent since March 4, 2024.8
Bring your activated card and the government-issued photo ID tied to your account.7
Since March 24, 2026, the old “whole day unit” and 45-day fill period system no longer applies. Patients follow a simple daily limit instead.2
| Limit | Patient | Caregiver | 90-day possession limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant material | 2.5 oz per day | 2.5 oz per day | 14.06 lb |
| All other products | 15,000 mg total THC per day | 15,000 mg total THC per day | 1,350 g total THC |
| Bulk purchase | Up to 4 days’ limit at once | Not allowed | Same as above |
Your CTR physician can add notes that restrict the types or amounts you may buy, and dispensaries must follow them.2
Medical marijuana is approved as oils, tinctures, plant material, edibles and patches, and the Division can approve more forms.1 Smoking or combusting medical marijuana is not allowed. Vaporizing is allowed only on private residential or agricultural property.1
Up to 2.5 ounces of plant material and 15 grams of extract, bought from a licensed Ohio dispensary or grown legally at home.1
Six plants per adult and 12 per household, at your primary residence only. Exceeding the limit by even one plant is a crime, and landlords can ban growing.1
Adults can give another adult up to 2.5 oz of plant material or 15 g of extract per day, free of charge, on private residential or agricultural property. Medical marijuana can’t be shared.1
Dispensaries can’t sell you more than the possession limit in one day, and must check government-issued ID.1
Smoking, combusting or vaporizing is only allowed on privately owned residential or agricultural property, and even there, some places are off-limits.1
Your home or other private residential or agricultural property, with the owner’s permission and no lease rule against it.
Public places, workplaces, childcare homes, halfway houses, rentals whose lease bans it, and any vehicle, boat or aircraft being operated.1
Driving under the influence of marijuana is an OVI offense. A passenger who smokes or vapes in a moving vehicle now faces a third-degree misdemeanor, up from a minor misdemeanor.1 Carry cannabis sealed in its original package, or in the trunk if it has been opened.
Marijuana is still federally controlled, so Ohio law doesn’t protect you on federal land such as national parks, military bases or federal buildings.
These penalties under Ohio Revised Code 2925.11 apply to marijuana held over the legal limits, by anyone under 21 without a medical card, or obtained outside Ohio’s licensed system.1011
| Amount | Offense level | Possible penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Under 100 g | Minor misdemeanor | Fine up to $150, no jail |
| 100 to 200 g | 4th-degree misdemeanor | Up to 30 days in jail and $250 |
| 200 to 1,000 g | 5th-degree felony | Up to 12 months and $2,500 |
| 1,000 to 5,000 g | 3rd-degree felony | Up to 3 years and $10,000; presumption against prison |
| 5,000 to 20,000 g | 3rd-degree felony | Up to 3 years and $10,000; presumption of prison |
| 20,000 to 40,000 g | 2nd-degree felony | 5 to 8 years mandatory and up to $15,000 |
| 40,000 g or more | 2nd-degree felony | 8 years mandatory and up to $20,000 |
Knowingly giving adult-use or homegrown marijuana to someone under 21 is a first-degree misdemeanor for a first offense and a fifth-degree felony after that.1
No. Since SB 56 took effect on March 20, 2026, marijuana from out-of-state dispensaries is contraband in Ohio, even in small amounts.1
No. Ohio prohibits smoking or combusting medical marijuana. Patients can vaporize plant material, but only on private residential or agricultural property.1
Yes. Ohio employers can enforce drug-free or zero-tolerance policies against medical, adult-use and homegrown marijuana use, and a worker fired under such a policy can’t collect unemployment.1
Yes. Landlords can prohibit smoking, vaporizing and home grow in their units and common areas.1
For many patients, yes. Medical purchases skip the 10% adult-use excise tax,9 patients can buy four days’ supply at once, and patients 18 to 20 (or younger, with a caregiver) can only buy legally through the medical program.2
Possibly. Anyone with a minor misdemeanor marijuana possession charge or conviction from before March 20, 2026, can apply to the sentencing court for expungement. The filing fee is $50 unless you’re indigent.1
See an Ohio-certified physician online. New patients pay $159, and you’re only charged if you’re approved.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Ohio marijuana law changed significantly in 2026 and Division of Cannabis Control rules are still being updated, so confirm current rules with the Division or an Ohio attorney.
