Research shows what changes Ohio medical marijuana users want in state program, report overall satisfaction

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Ohio medical marijuana users are more satisfied with the state’s program than they were a year ago, according to researchers at Ohio State University.

The OSU Drug Enforcement and Policy Center has measures patient satisfaction since the medical marijuana program went live in January 2019. Last year was the first time that people said they were more satisfied with how the state was running the program.

This year, researchers saw a 62% in satisfaction, but there are still some changes that patients would like to see, including cost. About 25% of survey respondents say they don’t buy from Ohio dispensaries because they are too expensive. They’ve also raised concerns about the cost to receive a patient card and the need to get it renewed every year.

“I would recommend for policymakers to look at especially for patients with chronic conditions, you know, things that will not go away,” said Jana Hrdinova, with the OSU Drug Enforcement and Policy Center. “Change maybe moving to not an annual checkup, but maybe a biannual checkup.”

Other concerns researchers found include a lack of employment and housing legal protections. Researchers also heard from people who can’t travel who either want the ability to grow their own products or have them delivered to their homes.

Read the report in full below.

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