Marijuana is officially legal in Ohio for both medicinal and recreational usage. On November 7, 2023, the people approved the Issue 2 proposal, making Ohio the 24th state to legalize marijuana for adult use.
Ohio became the 25th state to legalize cannabis usage for medical purposes when Governor Kasich signed House Bill 523 in June 2016. The legislation was approved by the state House 67-29 and the state Senate 18-15.
But the question arises here, “Can Ohio medical marijuana patients own or buy guns?”. Let’s find the answer in this article!
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Does Possession of a Medical Cannabis Card Prohibit One from Being Issued an Ohio Gun License?
If you are a resident of Ohio and possess a concealed carry permit, purchasing medical marijuana is officially prohibited.
In a nutshell, if you have an Ohio medical marijuana card, you cannot seek a permit or buy firearms.
That’s not because Ohio has strict gun and marijuana laws. The Federal Government policies are the ones to blame for it.
Even though marijuana is legal in your state, federal law will not allow you to use cannabis, purchase cannabis, or own a handgun as a registered medical patient until it is taken off the Schedule I drug list.
Is It Legal in Ohio to Bring Your Gun to a Dispensary?
Ohio changed its laws regarding firearms on June 13, 2022. In terms of handguns, Ohio is currently a “constitutional carry” or “permitless carry” state. It is now legal in Ohio to carry a concealed weapon in your automobile or on your person without a concealed handgun license (CHL).
Furthermore, CHL holders are no longer needed to carry their CHL cards while carrying concealed guns.
Ohio’s gun laws say that a person cannot be a “fugitive from justice” or prohibited from possessing a handgun by any state or federal law (e.g., a convicted criminal). They have to be 21 years of age or older.
Gun owners are not permitted to have a firearm in their vehicles when they enter a school safety zone or inside any courthouses. Permitless carriers, or those without a concealed carry license, are subject to the same laws and regulations as CHL license holders.
It is illegal under both state and federal law to enter a school safety zone without a CHL license.
Businesses like grocery stores, pubs, and dispensaries have a right to display signs banning weapon carry. So if the dispensary allows you to carry a weapon, you can take your weapon inside the dispensary.
Is It Legal to Own a Gun and Consume CBD In Ohio?
After the 2018 Farm Bill was passed, Ohio passed SB 57, a law that delisted hemp from the state’s list of prohibited substances and created a framework for granting licenses to hemp growers and promoting the plant’s usage as a commodity.
According to SB 57, hemp is a material that has less than 0.3% THC, while cannabis is derived from the same plant.
There are nearly no restrictions on the products that are made from hemp. You can use all products with CBD that is extracted from hemp without getting yourself in legal trouble.
Products made from hemp can be bought without a prescription, and those that are licensed can be owned without any limitations.
Cannabis goods are those that have a THC concentration of more than 0.3% and can only be purchased through the state’s medical marijuana program.
In Ohio, you can use CBD while carrying a firearm as long as the CBD you consume is produced from hemp.
Conclusion
While we are unable to guarantee that an Ohio marijuana card will shield you legally from gun ownership or possession, we can assure you that it is strictly forbidden to use marijuana unlawfully while in the presence of a firearm. If you have marijuana without a prescription, you may be in much more trouble if you also own firearms.