Miamisburg puts 12-month hold on adult-use cannabis operators

This is the second time the council made such a move. Last December, it voted to enact a nine-month moratorium on “the issuance and processing of permits for dispensaries, cultivators or processors of adult-use cannabis” within the city.

Emily Christian, Miamisburg’s assistant city manager, said the latest moratorium allows city council and staff and additional time to research the implications of allowing or prohibiting adult-use cannabis operators in the city.

“I would also reiterate the fact that Issue 2 allows the city to make this decision and to do this moratorium, and it does pertain only to operators within the city,” Christian told city council. “It’s not related to recreational use by adults.”

In November 2023, Ohioans voted to legalize the growing, processing, selling and use of recreational marijuana, making the Buckeye State the 24th state to do so. The law took effect on Dec. 7, allowing adults 21 and over to legally possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, as well as use and grow up to six plants per person and 12 per household.”

Tuesday was the first day any Ohio dispensary was permitted by the state to sell recreational marijuana.

Christian said a 12-month extension was needed because the original nine-month moratorium was caused by the uncertainty about the state’s rules and procedures for licensing operators as they were still in development.

“This 12-month extension is in the interest of collecting operational data and information now that the state has started issuing licenses,” she told this news outlet Wednesday. “Staff recommended this additional period of study so we can see how the Division of Cannabis Control and licensees operate. Additionally, now that the rules and regulations are established, we as staff can review the city’s code and ordinances and recommend any changes that may be needed.

Staff and council have not discussed a change to the 12-month time period, but staff “will certainly continue to research and provide information to city council” on an ongoing basis, she said.