Cleveland OKs 1-year moratorium on medical marijuana permits

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland has joined the growing list of Ohio cities that have enacted moratoriums that for now prohibit permits and licenses to be issued for medical marijuana-related businesses.

The legislation approved Monday by the Cleveland City Council calls for a one-year moratorium. More than 50 Ohio cities have approved similar moratoriums that vary in length from six months to two years. More cities are expected to follow suit.

State lawmakers earlier this year made it legal for doctors to recommend medical marijuana use for patients with various medical conditions. The law also allows cities to limit where medical marijuana businesses can locate and to prohibit them completely.

The new law state law requires the Ohio’s medical marijuana program to be up and running by September 2018.