Dispensary sues Pierce Twp. over alleged extortion, pay-to-play for permit
Vext Science sued Pierce Township over fees and conditions it says were illegally required to obtain a permit for a cannabis dispensary. After a court challenge and appeal, the township issued the permit, but Vext is still pursuing a separate lawsuit seeking $2.5 million in damages.
Vext Science and its subsidiary New Gen Re Ohio LLC sued Pierce Township over the delayed approval of an adult-use cannabis dispensary on Ohio Pike. The company alleged that township officials demanded a $50,000 application fee, annual fees, a bond and 4.5% of gross sales as conditions for the permit, which Vext characterized as an illegal pay-to-play arrangement.
A Clermont County judge ruled that the township zoning appeals board had improperly denied the permit, and the Ohio 12th District Court of Appeals sided with the dispensary. Following a partial settlement, Pierce Township issued the permit, with Vext planning to open the Herbal Wellness Center in early spring 2027. A separate lawsuit seeking $2.5 million for lost profits, legal fees and alleged constitutional and state-law violations remains pending.
Pierce Township Trustees Chairman Allen Freeman rejected the company’s claim for damages and said he wants a judge to decide the case. Township officials said another dispensary, Shangri-La Monroe West LLC, accepted similar operating terms, while Vext argued that such fees unlawfully single out cannabis businesses.