Ohio Dispensaries See Surge in Demand After Pre-Rolls Go Live

Ohio dispensaries are seeing sharp demand for pre-rolled joints in the weeks since the state officially approved them. Licensed shops across the state say customers had been asking daily for pre-rolls — now that the rules have changed, the floodgates have opened. Some locations sold out immediately, underscoring how pent-up demand had built.

Legal cannabis in Ohio is still relatively new. Voters passed Issue 2 in November 2023, and the first adult-use retail sales began in August 2024. Until now, stricter rules had limited dispensaries from selling pre-rolled units. On August 1, 2025, the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control released guidance allowing processors and dispensaries to sell single-serving “pre-rolls,” but each operation needs separate approval to stock them.

Nearby states with more mature cannabis markets, such as Michigan and Illinois, have long offered pre-rolls as a staple product. Ohio customers often asked, “Why can’t we get what they have across state lines?” Now, the state is catching up.

Brands and processors are preparing for volume. Some have already delivered limited pre-roll batches, others await regulatory clearances. Analysts expect pre-rolls to become one of the fastest-selling formats, as seen in other adult-use states.

Meanwhile, Ohio’s lawmakers are navigating regulations. House Bill 160, introduced in 2025, aims to update cannabis law, protect children, and refine potency limits and product formats. As dispensaries roll out pre-rolls, regulators, legislators, and the public all watch how the market evolves.

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Ohio Dispensaries See Surge in Demand After Pre-Rolls Go Live  was originally published on newstalkcleveland.com