COLUMBUS – Cannabis consumers in Ohio are paying $210 for an ounce of weed on average, while prices hover around $70 in Michigan. If Ohio follows the development of other adult-use states, like Michigan, experts say Ohioans may see lower prices in the Buckeye state this year.
Sales of recreational marijuana began at Ohio’s existing 127 dual-use dispensaries on Aug. 6, with the state’s Division of Cannabis Control approving 117 new retail licenses while capping storefronts in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati.
The slow pace of Ohio’s rollout has led to inflated prices in the early-going.
Based on data from the DCC website, the average price for a tenth of an ounce of flower is $21.65, meaning customers are paying over $210 for an ounce of product. As a point of comparison, the average cost of an ounce of dried cannabis flower in long-time recreational hotbed Michigan is about $70. Then there’s Pennsylvania, which ranges in price from $350-$500 per ounce.
Ohio’s prices will be subject to change once more dispensaries come online, noted cannabis entrepreneurs and executives interviewed by Scene. Andy Rayburn, owner of Eastlake cultivator and processor Buckeye Relief, said high pricing in the fall – about $250 per ounce – could be attributed to a forecasted shortage in cannabis flower that never materialized.
“Now everyone is utilizing their full square footage, so supply is increasing significantly,” said Rayburn, also owner of Amplify dispensaries in Cleveland Heights, Bedford and Columbus, with more on the way. “That’s one of the drivers for prices coming down.”
Michigan may remain an attractive spot for the canna-curious until prices drop here. Yet, folks seeking relief over the border may be compromising on product quality, particularly with the outdoor-grown cannabis common to the state, noted Rayburn.
Although outdoor-cultivated plants are more energy-efficient, they also have the inherent risks of insects, bad weather and a less controlled growing process, he said.
“That’s the biggest difference in general – people going to Michigan for the lowest price-per-ounce are getting lower quality than what we sell at most of the dispensaries in Ohio,” Rayburn said.
Klutch Cannabis, an Akron-founded cannabis cultivator with dispensary locations in Lorain and Canton, has welcomed hundreds of new customers since Ohio’s recreational debut, said chief compliance and communications director Pete Nischt.
The company’s high-end cannabis products are priced accordingly – although that has not stopped Klutch from selling out every harvest it’s grown since 2019, a period marked by high prices in the medical market, said Nischt.
Klutch consumers pay $48.50 for 2.83 grams of product – equivalent to tenth of an ounce – with occasional promotions aimed at medical patients.
“Adult-use consumers might purchase a different kind of product from a medical patient, but overall, we want to curate a menu that’s easy to navigate, and provides accessibility at every price point,” Nischt said.
As Klutch prepares for expansion in Northfield Village and downtown Cleveland, officials are tracking prices through DCC data or competitor menus. Patron purchasing power depends on location – for example, a Columbus dispensary may have different prices than a storefront in Canton.
Whereas product exclusivity can sometimes influence pricing, it’s not a primary concern for all consumers, Nischt added.
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