The start of recreational marijuana sales in Ohio means some Kentuckians are traveling north to purchase legal cannabis.
Mahalia Behler and Haley Jenkins drove from Northern Kentucky to Sunnyside Dispensary in Cincinnati early Wednesday morning.
“It's a historical event that's actually worth being here for,” Behler said.
The duo wanted to purchase marijuana on the first day of recreational sales, which was Tuesday, Aug. 6. But, after encountering long lines at four dispensaries, they decided to try again the next day.
Behler says she thinks the legalization of cannabis will bring Commonwealth residents to Ohio.
“It’s going to bring in tourism, like Michigan,” Behler said. (Michigan legalized recreational marijuana in 2018.)
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Tim Duncan lives in Kentucky and stopped by Sunnyside Dispensary because he works nearby. In the past, he’s purchased marijuana in places where it is legal.
“I've been to other states like New York and Maryland and Michigan,” Duncan said. “I'm glad it's here.”
Before Ohioans passed Issue 2 last November, the closest places Kentuckians could buy recreational marijuana were Illinois, Missouri or Michigan, according to a 2023 Lexington Herald Leader article.
Rules Kentuckians should know
Anyone 21 or older with a valid ID can buy non-medical cannabis from nearly 100 certified dispensaries in Ohio. However, it is illegal to travel across state lines with marijuana, according to the Ohio Department of Commerce.
In Kentucky, it is illegal for people to possess non-medical marijuana.
Medical cannabis is set to become legal in Kentucky in 2025.