Columbus Ohio’s Central State University has applied to operate a medical cannabis testing lab, joining Hocking College as the only two universities to apply to the state by the Sept. 22 deadline, the Dayton Daily News reports. Hocking College, a two-year technical school based in Nelsonville, announced their intent earlier this month.
Under Ohio’s medical cannabis laws, testing labs must be owned and operated by an institute of higher education; however, regulators anticipated needing more labs and are allowing private companies to submit applications from Nov. 27 to Dec. 8.
Central State President Cynthia Jackson-Hammond indicated the university was working with Buckeye Agriculture, LLC on the project.
“We support the need for testing and believe that Central State can be an innovator as the state implements its medical marijuana law,” she said in the report, adding that university officials view “testing as a mechanism to ensure product safety.”
According to the News, laboratories must pay an $18,000 operational fee and annual license renewal fees run $20,000. The state Medical Marijuana Control Program is managed by the Commerce Department, and state pharmacy and medical boards.
State officials expect the program to come online by Sept. 8, 2018 but there is no timetable for when labs will be granted permits.
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