Ohio Sues Nine Multistate Cannabis Firms Over Alleged Shelf-Space Collusion

Overview

• Attorney General Dave Yost filed the civil antitrust complaint in Franklin County against nine operators with dispensaries in the state.
• The lawsuit alleges reciprocal purchasing and internal shelf-space quotas that favored each other’s products over those from independent Ohio cultivators and processors.
• According to the complaint, a tip from an industry employee in October 2024 led to an investigation into a reported late‑2022 meeting where executives allegedly agreed to cut purchases from independents.
• Defendants include Curaleaf, Cresco Labs, Green Thumb Industries, Trulieve, Verano, Ascend Wellness, Ayr Wellness, The Cannabist Company, and Jushi, all headquartered outside Ohio.
• The state contends the conduct reduced product choice and quality for consumers and kept prices elevated, and no public responses or court rulings were reported at the time of filing.