CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — The City of Circleville has officially lost a high-stakes race for retail cannabis revenue.
Following years of City Council gridlock and extended moratoriums, medical and recreational cannabis operator Pure Ohio Wellness, LLC has bypassed city limits entirely, securing a permanent dispensary location in neighboring Circleville Township just down the street.
The development was confirmed in an internal email from Pure Ohio Wellness Chief Operating Officer Tracey McMillin. In the communication, McMillin noted that because Circleville Township moved quickly to lift its moratorium, the company was able to lock down a property—reputedly located near the local Walmart—and obtain state approval.
Furthermore, the state’s Division of Cannabis Control has instituted a mandatory one-mile buffer zone around the newly approved township site. As a direct result, the heavily trafficked U.S. Route 23 corridor within Circleville city limits is now legally blocked from hosting any future dispensaries, effectively shutting the city out of the retail cannabis market for the foreseeable future.
What the City Lost: Hundreds of Thousands in Annual Revenue
The relocation of the business marks a massive financial blow to the city’s future coffers. When Pure Ohio Wellness first pitched its expansion to Circleville leaders in April 2024, the company outlined substantial economic benefits that will now flow directly to Circleville Township:
- Tax Revenue: Under Ohio’s 10% adult-use cannabis excise tax, 36% of the state’s collections (representing 3.6% of gross sales) are returned directly to the host municipality. Pure Ohio Wellness estimated that a Circleville location would generate between $215,000 and $422,000 annually in pure tax profit for local government infrastructure.
- Local Jobs: The dispensary is expected to create roughly 25 local positions, with wages ranging from $15 to $40 per hour alongside full health, dental, and vision benefits.
- Community Philanthropy: The firm committed to heavy local charitable giving, noting they had donated $29,000 to non-profits in their other host communities, such as London and Dayton.
Council Backlash: ‘This became a moral debate when it should have been a business decision’
Circleville City Council initially instituted a moratorium on cannabis businesses in 2024, arguing they needed time to study the regulatory landscape after Ohio voters legalized recreational marijuana. However, even after the initial moratorium expired, city leaders failed to take definitive action, allowing personal and moral opposition to stall legislative progress.
The decision to let the clock run out has drawn sharp criticism from within City Hall. Circleville Councilmember Katie Logan Hedges released a blunt statement expressing her frustration over the missed economic opportunity:
“This issue became a moral debate when it should have been approached as a business and governance decision,” Hedges said. “Regardless of personal opinions about marijuana, these businesses are legal in Ohio… The question was whether the City would position itself to benefit economically while maintaining a voice in where and how that business became part of our community.”
“Instead, we spent valuable time debating the concept itself rather than making a timely decision. That delay ultimately cost the City both the potential financial benefits and the opportunity to help guide an appropriate location. Doing nothing was still a decision, and now that decision has consequences.”
Hedges added that council members have a fundamental obligation to act strategically to protect the financial future of residents rather than reacting defensively after an opportunity has vanished.
“Unfortunately,” Hedges concluded, “this was another instance where waiting too long meant someone else made the decision for us.”
