This newsletter is distributed to physicians with an active Certificate to Recommend Medical Marijuana (CTR) and provides important updates for the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (OMMCP). 

The State Medical Board of Ohio has approved 8 new certificate to recommend medical marijuana (CTR) applications since the October board meeting. As of November 10, 2021, the total number of active certified physicians is 639.

2021 Petition Window Open

The submission period is open for anyone to submit a petition requesting a condition be added to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program. If a condition has been previously rejected by the board, the new petition must contain new scientific information that supports the request. The window is open from November 1 to December 31.

Petitions can be filed electronically through the state's website here. Petitions need to include (per Ohio Administrative Code 4731-32-05):

• The name and contact information
• Specific disease or condition requested to be added
• Information from experts who specialize in the study of the disease or condition
• Relevant medical or scientific evidence
• Consideration of whether conventional medical therapies are insufficient to treat or alleviate the disease or condition
• Evidence supporting the use of medical marijuana to treat or alleviate the disease or condition and other types of medical or scientific documentation
• Letters of support provided by physicians

Ohio Administrative Code 4731-32-03 and Ohio Revised Code 4731.30 require an in-person visit to make an initial recommendation and an in-person examination at least once a year.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Medical Board suspended enforcement of regulations that required in-person visits, until the expiration of Executive Order 2020-01D. This allowed the use of telemedicine in situations that previously required in-person visits, including for physicians with a CTR to use telemedicine for initial visits and renewals.

The board voted to extend the enforcement of these regulations until March 31, 2022.

The Medical Board approved telemedicine FAQs that provide guidance on telemedicine in Ohio and the Medical Board’s resumption of enforcement. Click here to view the FAQs.

Physician CME

Since your CTR is an endorsement that attaches to your current license, it will remain active when you renew your license. Remember, you are required to complete 2 hours of approved CME each year of the renewal cycle and attest to completion during the online license renewal process.

Program Update (As of September 30, 2021)

• 359,495 Recommendations
• 216,471 Registered patients
  • 14,654 Patients with Veteran Status
  • 16,269 Patients with Indigent Status
  • 908 Patients with a Terminal Diagnosis
• 131,536 Patients with both an active registration and an active recommendation
• 198,139 Unique patients who purchased medical marijuana (as reported to OARRS by licensed dispensaries)
• 25,372 Registered Caregivers

State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy Updates

Recommendation Renewals

A patient and patient’s caregiver may, collectively, purchase no more than a 90-day supply of medical marijuana within a 90-day period per OAC 3796:8-2-04(B). Additionally, a patient may have only one current recommendation on file at a time. Therefore, if a CTR physician early renews or terminates a patient’s current recommendation and issues a new recommendation, any remaining days’ supply on the patient’s earlier recommendation will no longer be available. Instead, the patient’s fill periods will re-start under the renewal or new recommendation as soon as it is entered. As a result, the patient may be at risk of violating OAC 3796:8-2-04(B) or the patient may be denied medical marijuana by the dispensary to prevent a violation of this rule.

Therefore, CTR physicians must wait until the patient’s recommendation expires before entering a new recommendation. By doing so, patients will retain the same fill period schedule and no violation of OAC 3796:8-2-04(B) will occur.

To help inform physicians choosing to include instructions for use, the types of products currently available through the Medical Marijuana Control Program are listed below.