Ohio should continue medical marijuana program despite ‘multiple’ flaws, state auditor says

Published: Feb 21, 2018, 3:59 pm • Updated: Feb 21, 2018, 3:59 pm

By The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The state auditor says Ohio should continue its medical marijuana program despite “multiple” flaws in selecting grower applicants.

Republican Auditor David Yost says the program’s flaws should be handled by administrative appeals or lawsuits.

At issue is the Department of Commerce’s admission last week that a scoring error led to a company’s inadvertent exclusion from the proposed list of the dozen big marijuana growers in Ohio’s new program.

The agency says it identified the mistake after Yost expressed concern that two employees had complete access to the scoring data.

The agency offered to put the program on hold. Yost said in Wednesday’s letter it’s too late for that. He urged the agency to get advice from the Ohio Attorney General.

More on Ohio’s medical marijuana program

• Ohio lawsuit wants medical marijuana grower licenses revoked
• Six applicants denied medical marijuana grow licenses are suing Ohio
• Error inadvertently bumped marijuana grower from Ohio’s new medical program
• Ohio lawsuit challenges “racial quota” in marijuana program
• Spurned Ohio medical marijuana applicant pushes full legalization vote
• Ohio receives 6 times more applications for medical marijuana dispensaries as they have licenses