Ownership questions prompt investigations into two Ohio medical marijuana companies

The Ohio Board of Pharmacy concludes that Harvest Health and Recreation and Acreage Holdings Skirt Equity and Transfer Rules

COLUMBUS – Two companies are coming under fire for allegedly lying on their applications to sell medical marijuana in Ohio and violating rules for the state’s highly regulated program.

The Ohio Board of Pharmacy, which oversees medical marijuana dispensaries, has concluded two companies violated state rules: Greenleaf Apothecaries LLC, which does business as The Botanist, and Harvest of Ohio LLC.

The board claims Greenleaf Apothecaries transferred ownership without state approval and/or misrepresented facts submitted with its dispensary application last year, according to portions of a board notice sent to the company obtained by The Enquirer through a public records request.

The company, which was awarded five dispensary licenses, announced in December 2018 it had a management agreement with big cannabis company Acreage Holdings, headquartered in New York. State rules prohibit ownership transfers until after one year of operation. 

The board says Harvest of Ohio LLC does not meet the state’s definition of an “economically disadvantaged group,” as claimed on its application. The company was awarded three dispensary licenses and is an offshoot of Harvest Health and Recreation Inc., which operates in eight states. [Read More @ Cincinnati Enquirer]