98 Ohio marijuana dispensaries can begin recreational sales Tuesday.

Nearly 100 Ohio dispensaries will get the green light Tuesday to start selling recreational marijuana.

The Division of Cannabis Control announced Monday that it awarded 98 dual-use certificates of operation to medical cannabis dispensaries entering the adult-use market. Ohioans voted last year to legalize recreational marijuana for consumers 21 and older, but the division had to finalize rules and issue licenses before sales could begin.

Additional dispensaries are expected to receive certificates of operation in the coming days.

“Since existing licensees had already met stringent requirements of (the medical marijuana) program, we anticipated this process to be rather smooth,” said Jim Canepa, superintendent of the Division of Cannabis Control. “They had already undergone many of the comprehensive checks as part of that process.”

A certificate of operation doesn’t mean sales will immediately begin at that location. State officials noted that decision is up to individual businesses and depends on staffing and stock. But dispensary owners across the state have said they’re preparing to open their doors Tuesday to recreational customers.

“We definitely expect to see crowds,” said Verano president Darren Weiss, who operates Zen Leaf dispensaries in Ohio. “We definitely expect to see lines out the door. But it’s not going to be chaos.” [Read More @ The Columbus Dispatch]