A new political battle is brewing in Ohio’s $1 billion cannabis market as a petition drive organized by hemp farmers and merchants seeks to suspend and ultimately repeal the state’s updated cannabis regulations.
An organization calling itself Ohioans for Cannabis Choice is gathering signatures to overturn Senate Bill 56, which is scheduled to take effect on March 20, according to WJW.
Signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine in December, SB 56 introduced tighter regulations for adult-use cannabis, including statewide license caps.
It also banned the sale of hemp THC products outside of regulated cannabis channels.
Attorney General Dave Yost certified the petition language but noted in his certification letter that it does not mean the referendum is constitutional, he said in a Feb. 3 news release.
Ohio hemp THC operators fight to save their businesses
If the group successfully collects at least 250,000 valid signatures from at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties by a March 19 deadline, implementation of SB 56 would pause immediately.
The issue would then go before voters on the November ballot for repeal.
Dennis Willard, a spokesperson for Ohioans for Cannabis Choice, told Fox 8 that SB 56 undermines consumer rights and threatens the state’s $2 billion hemp industry.
The law “recriminalizes” products that consumers rely on for wellness, and intoxicating hemp products targeted by the ban are similar to cannabis sold in licensed dispensaries but offer greater convenience, WIllard told the station.
No citizens referendum has passed in Ohio since 2011, the Ohio Capital Journal reported.
Licensed Ohio cannabis operators support hemp THC restrictions
The state’s licensed cannabis industry is opposing the effort to repeal limitations on hemp-derived THC.
Adrienne Robbins, deputy executive director of the Ohio Cannabis Coalition (OHCANN), characterized petition backers as entities profiting from unregulated, untested products often sold in convenience stores.
“It’s not the cannabis industry. It’s not what they voted for when they voted for Issue 2,” Robbins said in an interview with Fox 8, referring to the 2023 ballot measure that legalized adult-use marijuana.
The new regulations are needed to curb the sale of products that can be packaged to appeal to children, according to OHCANN.
Regardless of SB 56, Ohioans will continue to have access to safe, tested cannabis through the licensed dispensary network, Robbins told the station.
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