Ohio has begun distributing cannabis tax revenue to local communities that host dispensaries. Long-awaited tax revenue payments for communities that host adult-use cannabis dispensaries are now being released. State legislators said Ohio collected $33 million for host communities from July 2024 to November 2025, and began distributing funds on Jan. 7. Columbus said it received $4.2 million in the past few weeks. See previous coverage of Columbus' delayed funding in the video player above.
"When Ohio voters approved adult use legalization, they envisioned real, measurable benefits for local communities, and these first distributions show that the model works," Nicole Stark, CEO of Bloom Cannabis, a Columbus-based dispensary chain, said of the funding release.
The payments are part of how Ohio spends the tax revenue it receives from adult-use marijuana purchases. Ohio's marijuana purchases are subject to a 10% adult use excise tax. Purchases are also subject to the typical 5.75% state tax and local taxes, which range from 0% to 2.25%.
As of Jan. 3, 2026, Ohioans have spent around $1.1 billion on adult-use marijuana. A representative from the Ohio Department of Taxation said the state collected $55.6 million in adult use taxes from July 2024 to June 2025. The representative said that from July to December, the state collected about $44.3 million.
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