Section 3796.14 | Authority of department of commerce.
(A) The division of cannabis control may do any of the following for any reason specified in rules adopted under section 3796.03 of the Revised Code:
(1) Suspend, suspend without prior hearing, revoke, or refuse to renew a license or registration it issued under this chapter or Chapter 3780. of the Revised Code, as that chapter existed immediately before the effective date of this amendment ;
(2) Refuse to issue a license;
(3) Impose on a license holder a civil penalty in an amount to be determined by the division.
(4) The division shall suspend a dispensary license without prior hearing only if it finds clear and convincing evidence that continued distribution of medical marijuana and adult-use marijuana by the license holder presents a danger of immediate and serious harm to others. The suspension shall remain in effect, unless lifted by the division, until the division issues its final adjudication order. If the division does not issue the order within ninety days after the adjudication hearing, the suspension shall be lifted on the ninety-first day following the hearing.
The division's actions under division (A) of this section shall be taken in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
(B) Subject to division (E) of this section, the division and the Ohio investigative unit may inspect all of the following for any reason specified in rules adopted under section 3796.03 of the Revised Code without prior notice to the applicant or license holder:
(1) The premises of a license holder or an applicant for licensure under this chapter;
(2) All records maintained pursuant to this chapter by a license holder.
(C) Whenever it appears to the division, from its files, upon complaint, or otherwise, or to the Ohio investigative unit, from an inspection or investigation authorized by this section, that any person or entity has engaged in, is engaged in, or is about to engage in any practice declared to be illegal or prohibited by this chapter or the rules adopted under this chapter, or when the division believes it to be in the best interest of the public, adult-use consumers, or medical marijuana patients, the division may do any of the following:
(1) Investigate the person or entity as authorized pursuant to this chapter or the rules adopted under this chapter;
(2) Issue subpoenas to any person or entity for the purpose of compelling either of the following:
(a) The attendance and testimony of witnesses;
(b) The production of books, accounts, papers, records, or documents.
(D) If a person or entity fails to comply with any order of the division or the unit or a subpoena issued by the division or the unit pursuant to this section, a judge of the court of common pleas of the county in which the person resides or the entity may be served, on application of the division or the unit, shall compel obedience by attachment proceedings as for contempt, as in the case of disobedience with respect to the requirements of a subpoena issued from such court or a refusal to testify in such court.
(E) The Ohio investigative unit shall not inspect or investigate the premises of any person under this section unless one or both of the following apply:
(1) The person inspected or investigated is a license holder and either or both of the following apply:
(a) The division of cannabis control requests the unit to inspect or investigate.
(b) The inspection or investigation involves alleged criminal activity.
(2) The unit is invited by local law enforcement having jurisdiction over the person inspected or investigated.
(F) Nothing in this section prohibits the Ohio investigative unit from investigating criminal activity related to this chapter outside the premises of a license holder's cultivation, processing, dispensing, or laboratory facilities. The authority of the Ohio investigative unit is concurrent to the jurisdiction of any law enforcement officer to enforce this chapter.
Last updated January 20, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Available Versions of this Section
- September 8, 2016 – House Bill 523 - 131st General Assembly [ View September 8, 2016 Version ]
- October 3, 2023 – Amended by House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly [ View October 3, 2023 Version ]
- March 20, 2026 – Amended by Senate Bill 56 - 136th General Assembly [ View March 20, 2026 Version ]