If these restrictions are passed, 90 percent of our non-intoxicating hemp full spectrum products will be eliminated.
By Megan Henry, Ohio Capital Journal
Ohio CBD store owners are concerned about a bill that would regulate intoxicating hemp and drinkable cannabinoid products something that could potentially put them out of business.
Four people spoke in favor of the Ohio Senate Bill 86, while fourteen others opposed it. There were no supporters present to give testimony in person.
Jaimee Courtney of Bellefontaine Sunmed Your CBD Store said that if these restrictions were to pass, 90 percent of our non-intoxicating, full-spectrum products would be eliminated. The move would push consumers into unregulated online marketplaces, increasing safety risks while diverting tax revenue from Ohio.
This bill requires that intoxicating hemp-based products be sold exclusively at marijuana adult dispensaries, rather than allowing their sale at CBD shops, convenience stores or smoke shops.
This bill also includes a 15% tax on hemp-based intoxicants, a ban on sales for anyone younger than 21, as well as requiring that intoxicating hemp be only sold by dispensaries when the product has been thoroughly tested, is labeled and meets all other standards.
Ohio state Sens. Steve Huffman and Shane Wilkin both from Tipp City, Ohio introduced SB 86. Eleven people submitted testimony in support of the bill last week—including people in the marijuana business, poison control workers and religious organizations.
Robert McClure owns Sunmed Your CBD Store, located in Centerville, Deerfield Township. The majority of Sunmed Your CBD Store customers won’t go to a cannabis dispensary, for many reasons.
His store has a minimum age of 21 for customers who want to purchase their products. All the products are third-party checked.
The Ohio Grocers Association president, Kristin Mulins expressed concern that SB 86’s language would prohibit the sale of most other hemp products at retail, and drive them into an unregulated, illegal environment without age limitations.
She wants the lawmakers to instead enforce age restrictions and ensure that product labels are required.
Bridget Cole Williams said, “Bad characters exist. But responsible businesses are more numerous.” This legislation will hurt reputable companies while failing to address the real issues. “Limitation doesn’t fix the problem, it just creates space for illicit markets to grow.”
Jim Higdon of Cornbread Hemp Kentucky agrees on the age restriction and consumer safety regulations but disagrees with some other portions of the bill.
The strict caps that SB 86 proposes would prevent Ohioans from finding hemp-based products to meet their genuine wellness needs.
Cornbread Hemp’s products can be found in 30 Ohio stores including Fresh Thyme Markets and more.
Higdon stated that “the customers in these shops tend to be older people with disposable incomes and not teens looking for an unregulated, cheap high.”
According to the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill, hemp is legal if its THC content is less than 0.3 per cent. Ohio, according to a November 2024 study conducted by Ohio State University Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, is among the 20 states with no regulations regarding intoxicating hemp-based products.
Ohio Capital Journal was the first to publish this article.
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