More than 200 medical marijuana shop owners across Ohio have applied to convert their licenses to dual-use cannabis licenses that will enable them to sell recreational cannabis, which was approved by voters in November 2023.

The buzz on Monday, albeit unconfirmed, is that sales could begin sooner rather than later.

As of late last Friday, the Division of Cannabis Control received 235 applications, some of which were approved for testing labs, cultivators and processors.

The Division is now issuing dual-use provisional licenses to dispensaries, a state spokesman said on Friday in an email to a local ABC outlet in which it indicated that at least 20 dispensaries have been licensed.

But there are still hoops to jump through. Applicants who receive the provisional licenses need to show they've met various requirements, such as updating point-of-sale technology that will distinguish between medical and recreational sales. They’ll also need to beef up their security and verify that they'll be able to provide an adequate supply of medical marijuana for patients.

Cannabis, Rock ‘n’ Roll And Record Rendezvous

Akron-based Klutch Cannabis, a Midwest vertically integrated cannabis company recently announced it was awarded two provisional dispensary licenses and is set to open a shop on Prospect Avenue in Cleveland on the exact spot where Cleveland’s historic Record Rendezvous once stood — a site deeply connected to the city's rock ‘n’ roll history.

Cannabis and rock, particularly in the 1970s, were inseparable. Icons like Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Cheech and Chong and hundreds of other influential groups celebrated marijuana as they created music that defined an era. Record Rendezvous’ owner, Leo Mintz along with with Alan Freed, was said to have coined the term "rock ‘n' roll," helping to cement Cleveland's rock heritage.

Mintz, who opened the shop in 1938, was among the first to put records in boxes that customers could browse through, rather than having to ask for songs by name. He also provided listening booths so customers could hear the records before purchasing them. Record Rendezvous closed down in 1987 and the building has sat empty ever since.

"We are going to try to make sure we are doing our best to pay homage to what it was, what it means to Clevelanders, what it means to the region, and what it means to music in general," said Pete Nischt, vice president of compliance communications at Klutch Cannabis.

Cannabis changes are happening as we speak in states like Ohio and on a national level with rescheduling expected soon. Join us to talk more about what this means for the future of the industry.

Hear directly for top executives, investors, policymakers and advocates at the 19th Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, coming to Chicago this Oct. 8-9. Get your tickets now before prices go up by following this link.

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Photo: Cleveland Memory Project, Cleveland State University Library Special Collections