Ohio medical marijuana regulators must consider a cultivation company s request to expand, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
Akron-based Fire Rock Ltd. sued the Ohio Department of Commerce last year after the agency ignored its expansion request for months. The Ohio Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the agency to make a decision on the request.
Fire Rock sent a letter requesting expansion to Commerce officials in February 2020. On June 24, the agency said it would not approve or deny the request because it had not officially asked for expansion applications.
State rules do not preclude a cultivator from submitting an application on its own, Chief Justice Maureen O Connor wrote in the opinion joined by justices Patrick Fischer, Patrick DeWine, Michael Donnelly, Melody Stewart and Jennifer Brunner. Justice Sharon Kennedy did not participate.