More marijuana doctors approved for region. Who are they?

More than 2,000 Ohioans entered into the state’s medical marijuana patient and caregiver registry within the first week of its operation, officials announced Monday. More than half those already paid fees to activate their cards, according to the State Board of Pharmacy.

Roll-out of the registry allows the qualified physicians to begin adding the names of patients and caregivers into the system.

As of Monday, 1,062 patients and caregivers of the 1,948 entered had completed the process and paid an annual registration fee. The fee for patients is $50 and $25 for caregivers, though veterans and low-income patients may be eligible for lower fees.

The federal government prohibits doctors prescribing marijuana. Instead, patients must have a recommendation from a certified physician holding an unrestricted MD or DO license who have completed at least two hours of continuing medical education that will assist in diagnosing qualifying conditions, according to the medical board.

The state missed a Sept. 8 deadline to have medical marijuana for sale in dispensaries. Officials now say it should become available to those with a recommendation and valid card in the early months of 2019.