• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Health

John Kasich Signs Bill Legalizing Medical Marijuana in Ohio

By
Madeline Farber
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Madeline Farber
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 9, 2016, 12:04 PM ET
(FILES) This file picture taken on Octob
LEON NEAL AFP—Getty Images

On Wednesday, Ohio Republican Governor John Kasich signed a bill legalizing marijuana for medical purposes in Ohio.

The Governor’s communication team announced the signing without making a statement, only including it in a list of other bills he also signed Wednesday, according to cleveland.com.

Although the law takes effect in 90 days, the bill lays out a number of steps that first need to be taken in order to set up the state’s medical marijuana program. It is expected to be fully functional in about two years.

Starting in 2017, the Ohio legislation will only allow patients with specific medical conditions to use an oil, edible, tincture or vapor form of marijuana prescribed by a doctor licensed in the state. It prohibits patients from smoking marijuana or growing it at home, according to the bill.

Employers will still be able to fire medical marijuana patients if their marijuana use violates the employer’s drug-free workplace or zero tolerance policy. However, with the growing legal and social acceptance of marijuana use in the U.S., some companies, such as the Washington Post, may stop testing their staff members for marijuana use.

 

Marijuana, both for medical and recreational purposes, still remains illegal on a federal level. Gov. Kasich’s signature makes Ohio the 25th state to legalize a comprehensive medical marijuana program, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. A vote to legalize recreational marijuana in the state failed in November 2015.

Fortune has reached out to Governor Kasich’s office and will update the story upon response.

About the Author
By Madeline Farber
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Health

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Success
Meetings are not work, says Southwest Airlines CEO—and he’s taking action, by blocking his calendar every afternoon from Wednesday to Friday 
By Preston ForeDecember 15, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
America's $38 trillion national debt 'exacerbates generational imbalances' with Gen Z and millennials paying the price, warns think tank
By Eleanor PringleDecember 16, 2025
18 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Success
'I had to take 60 meetings': Jeff Bezos says 'the hardest thing I've ever done' was raising the first million dollars of seed capital for Amazon
By Dave SmithDecember 15, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Future of Work
The job market is so bad, people in their 40s are resorting to going back to school instead of looking for work
By Sydney LakeDecember 16, 2025
22 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Innovation
An MIT roboticist who cofounded bankrupt Roomba maker iRobot says Elon Musk's vision of humanoid robot assistants is 'pure fantasy thinking'
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezDecember 16, 2025
15 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Exclusive: After citations against Elon Musk’s Boring Company were suddenly withdrawn, federal regulators are now investigating Nevada OSHA
By Jessica MathewsDecember 16, 2025
6 hours ago

Latest in Health

Johnson
PoliticsHealth Insurance
Vulnerable Republican blasts choice to send health insurance spiking as ‘political malpractice’
By Kevin Freking, Lisa Mascaro and The Associated PressDecember 16, 2025
5 hours ago
FDA
HealthDrugs
Female libido pill gets expanded approval for menopause by FDA
By Matthew Perrone and The Associated PressDecember 15, 2025
1 day ago
HealthCommentary
Nicotine pouches offer huge promise—so long as the U.S. doesn’t repeat its mistake with vaping
By Max CunninghamDecember 14, 2025
3 days ago
Thompson
C-SuiteMedia
Atlantic CEO Nick Thompson on how he learned to ‘just keep moving forward’ after his famous firing at 22
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 14, 2025
3 days ago
HealthAffordable Care Act (ACA)
A Wisconsin couple was paying $2 a month for an ACA health plan. But as subsidies expire, it’s soaring to $1,600, forcing them to downgrade
By Ali Swenson and The Associated PressDecember 13, 2025
4 days ago
Julian Braithwaite is the Director General of the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking
CommentaryProductivity
Gen Z is drinking 20% less than Millennials. Productivity is rising. Coincidence? Not quite
By Julian BraithwaiteDecember 13, 2025
4 days ago