Herbal Wellness Center dispensary in Jackson, Ohio, remains temporarily closed following an investigation launched late last week by the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control (DCC). The facility voluntarily chose to halt operations pending the outcome of an inquiry into vape-related incidents.
Parent company Vext Science released a statement confirming full cooperation with the DCC’s ongoing investigation.
“As part of that cooperation, Vext has provided product samples for independent testing and has voluntarily quarantined certain product lines across its Ohio retail and manufacturing locations pending the results of such testing. All inventory has previously passed all mandated state-licensed laboratory testing.”
Eric Offenberger, CEO of Vext, emphasized the company’s commitment to consumer safety and regulatory compliance.
“The health and safety of our customers is our highest priority,” Offenberger stated. “Our facilities and products are routinely inspected and tested in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, and we are confident that our products are safe when used as intended. We take these reported events seriously and are committed to full cooperation with the Division of Cannabis Control as it conducts its investigation. We look forward to resolving this matter and restoring service to our Jackson customers as soon as possible.”
Corporate Background: Vext Science and Appalachian Pharm
Vext Science, Inc., headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, with public listings in Vancouver, Canada expanded into the Ohio market by acquiring the assets of Appalachian Pharm Processing, LLC, along with its affiliated dispensary operations.
Appalachian Pharm established a notable footprint in southern Ohio as a licensed processor and cultivator, supplying dispensaries across the state. The acquisition allowed Vext to build a vertically integrated supply chain in Ohio, covering cultivation and retail dispensary licenses under one corporate umbrella.
Herbal Wellness Center and Local Labor Dynamics
Herbal Wellness Center in Jackson serves as a crucial access point for medical and adult-use cannabis patients across rural southeastern Ohio, where dispensary density is significantly lower than in metropolitan areas like Columbus and Cincinnati.
The license that operates Herbal Wellness Center Jackson opened in February 2019 at 3 Acy Avenue as Buckeye Botanicals, then transitioned the name and relocated to a bigger facility at 820 Veterans Drive in 2025.
This is not the first time multi-state operator Vext Science has been embroiled in controversy since they took over operations of Herbal Wellness Centers. MedicateOH previously reported on the Columbus dispensary staff’s attempt to unionize and later decertify their union.
Vext has been building their footprint rapidly across the state with the acquisition of dispensaries in Jeffersonville, Columbus, Athens, Portsmouth and a recent opening of a new dispensary just outside Jungle Jim’s in Fairfield.
What Caused the Temporary Closure?
The closing came after two incidents involving a vape cart that may have been purchased at Herbal Wellness Center in Jackson. A woman named Jennifer Nickison reported on Facebook that her son Kelly Gross obtained the vape from the dispensary. Kelly is an epileptic 20-year-old and reportedly had a seizure while fishing. Nickison claims her son “died twice”, was on a ventilator, and will now receive a pacemaker.
A MedicateOH source with close ties to the dispensary where the alleged incident took place says that Gross’s 21+ year-old girlfriend bought the vape for him, since minors cannot make purchases at dispensaries. Our source also shared that friends of Gross’s stated he had a history of having seizures specifically when smoking. Gross is reportedly alive and recovering from surgery to put in a pacemaker.
Jackson County Sherriff’s Office confiscated the vape as part of their investigation, and there hasn’t been any details yet on what brand or type of device it was. There’s speculation that another separate customer was hospitalized but MedicateOH has not been able to obtain any additional details at the time of our report.
Is Vaping Cannabis Safe?
Vaping cannabis has become one of the most popular delivery methods due to its fast onset and discreet nature, but its safety profile depends heavily on manufacturing quality, hardware integrity, and regulatory oversight.
Regulated vs. Unregulated Vapes
State-regulated cannabis products undergo mandatory third-party laboratory testing for heavy metals, residual solvents, pesticides, mold, and illicit additives such as vitamin E acetate—a thickening agent linked to the 2019 EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury) outbreak. Regulated markets including Ohio’s explicitly prohibit these dangerous additives.
Hardware and Thermal Considerations
Even when the cannabis oil itself passes Ohio’s vigorous testing, issues can arise from vaporizer hardware:
- Heavy Metal Leaching: Low-quality ceramic or metal heating elements inside vape cartridges can potentially leach nickel, lead, or copper into the oil when heated repeatedly.
- Overheating and Phytol/Terpene Degradation: Exposing cannabis oils or added terpenes to excessively high temperatures can cause thermal degradation, creating chemical byproducts that cause respiratory irritation.
- Individual Sensitivity: Some users experience airway hyper-responsiveness or coughing fits depending on oil viscosity, flavor additives, or personal respiratory conditions.
Illicit market vape pens may contain synthetic cannabinoids (like Spice or K2). These man-made chemicals carry a much higher risk of causing acute seizures than dispensary vapes do. While dispensary vapes are significantly safer than illicit market ones, sudden investigations like the one in Jackson underscore the importance of rapid response from the industry when adverse events are reported.
Vaping with Underlying Health Risks
People with pre-existing epilepsy or lower seizure thresholds may face a higher risk of adverse neurological reactions when vaping as opposed to smoking cannabis. Vape cartridges often contain concentrated THC distillates or waxes that have the potential to destabilize neural activity faster than traditional smoking.
Some research suggests cannabis could actually be a helpful therapy in epilepsy and related conditions. MedicateOH covered this in 2021 and 2022. Researchers think that the culprit for seizure-inducing isn’t cannabis itself, but rather either very high THC or synthetic cannabinoids.
A 2023 systematic review of previous research reports that synthetic cannabinoid products can lead to reactions including seizures and a fast heartbeat. Synthetic THC interacts with the brain differently from plant-based THC.
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MedicateOH will follow up on this report as we learn more details.
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