Meet an Ohio-licensed physician on a secure video call. If your condition qualifies, you'll have a recommendation on file and a short state registration left to finish.
Two separate approvals are involved — your physician's, then the state's. Here is what each stage looks like.
Use the booking calendar to pick a time. You'll join from a phone, tablet, or computer — no drive across town required.
Have your diagnosis and any supporting records ready. The physician decides whether Ohio's criteria are met based on that conversation.
Once a recommendation is entered, the state sends instructions to finish your patient profile in the Ohio Patient & Caregiver Registry.
Confirm your Ohio ID and pay the state's one-cent fee. Your card is then ready to use at any licensed dispensary.
What you pay for the physician's time and what you pay the state are separate. The state's portion is now almost nothing.
Regular state and local sales tax still applies at the dispensary. Health insurance does not cover medical cannabis.
These can still come up in your visit when they accompany a listed diagnosis. Ohio also reviews petitions for new conditions each year between November 1 and December 31.
I was expecting forms and waiting rooms. It was one call, and the registry email came through that afternoon.
— Nicole R.The doctor asked real questions about my back surgery. It felt like an actual appointment, not a formality.
— Greg S.Knowing the state fee was a penny made the whole thing feel a lot less intimidating.
— Maria K.You can, but at 21+ you'd pay the 10% excise tax on every purchase, and anyone aged 18 to 20 has no legal option outside the medical program.
Yes. Ohio's telemedicine rules allow a certified physician to complete the evaluation remotely from start to finish.
You'll need an Ohio driver's license or state ID to register, since the program is open to Ohio residents only.
MDs and DOs holding an active Certificate to Recommend from the State Medical Board. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants cannot.
Your Ohio ID, a current medication list, and any records connected to your diagnosis. A quiet, private space helps too.
Registration lasts twelve months. Before it lapses, book a follow-up evaluation so your physician can submit a new recommendation.
Yes, if they're registered as your caregiver. Patients under 18 must have a parent or guardian in that role.
The Ohio Division of Cannabis Control publishes current requirements and updates.
RISE operates inside the PearlBrook Shopping Center at Pearl and Brookpark roads, within Old Brooklyn itself, and serves registered medical patients.
Old Brooklyn sits on Cleveland's southwest side between Brookside Reservation, the Cuyahoga River, and Brookpark Road, and is home to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. It grew from the 1814 settlement of Brighton, and its commercial strips along Pearl, Broadview, and State roads still anchor daily life. Residents here follow the same statewide medical cannabis process as anywhere in Ohio.
Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3796 limits recommendations to MDs and DOs with an active Certificate to Recommend. Patients then register through the Division of Cannabis Control using an Ohio driver's license or state ID.
Since adult-use sales began, the medical registry has remained the only route for 18- to 20-year-olds, and it keeps the 10% excise tax off patient purchases. Consult the Division of Cannabis Control for the latest rules.
Evaluations are held by video, on your schedule.