Ohio attorney general sues marijuana MSOs, alleging price fixing ‘cannabis cartels’

OG article by Chris Roberts

February 10, 2026

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit on February 6, 2026, against nine major publicly traded multistate marijuana operators (MSOs), accusing them of forming "cannabis cartels" through anti-competitive practices that reduce product variety and keep prices artificially high. The defendants include Ascend Wellness, Ayr Wellness, The Cannabist Co., Cresco Labs, Curaleaf Holdings, Green Thumb Industries, Jushi Holdings, Trulieve Cannabis Corp., and Verano Holdings. The suit claims these companies engaged in reciprocal supply agreements, shared sensitive non-public information, and used discriminatory arrangements to favor each other’s products in dispensaries while sidelining independent cultivators and processors, violating Ohio’s antitrust laws and harming small businesses. The probe began with an anonymous whistleblower tip in October 2024. Yost emphasized that Ohio’s laws protect competition and consumers from rigged markets. Jushi Holdings rejected the claims as mischaracterizations, asserting competitive dealings, while Green Thumb declined to comment on active litigation. Ohio’s adult-use market, launched in August 2024, saw $1.06 billion in 2025 sales across 190 stores, with a cap of 400 permits starting March 2026 and local limits constraining expansion. The attorney general suggested similar cartel behavior may exist in other states.