Ohio House lawmakers are set to take up a Senate-passed bill on Tuesday that would make significant changes to the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law—but with new key amendments that are expected to strike much of the current language and refocus the proposal on regulating intoxicating hemp products.
The latest plan, after months of back and forth between the House, and Senate, on how to move forward with cannabis policy, since the adult use legalization went into effect, is to scale back the controversial proposed restrictions for the marijuana market while inserting provisions to prevent youth access to hemp-based products.
A key legislator said that the bill would address state recreational marijuana programs, while also addressing tax revenue distribution.
Rep. Jamie Callender, who led the House’s marijuana policy initiative, said to News 5 Cleveland on Monday that the upcoming revised bill scheduled for an hearing in front of the House Judiciary Committee this Tuesday would be “very targeted and thoughtful.”
Stores and Breweries will be allowed to sell THC-containing beverages. However, there are new restrictions on advertising to keep youth away.
Callender explained that the ban would be temporary while rules were being developed. This will allow for more time. But in the meantime it will remove the stuff with high THC contents, at the very least, temporarily.”
After the Governor issued an Executive Order temporarily banning products that are intoxicating derived from hemp, the order was blocked later by a court pending litigation.
Governor Mike DeWine said: “To be honest, there was no action taken by the legislative branch.” Mike DeWine said. I’m still hoping that the Legislature will actually act.
House Speaker Matt Huffman commented on the lack of progress made in passing marijuana and hemp legislation after voters approved it in ballots 2023. Huffman noted substantive differences within the Republican Caucus.
He stated that “there are some people who feel that cannabis should be legalized” and “regulated”, while others believe hemp products “should be equal with all that was done in the initiating statute”. “There are also prohibitionists like myself who do not think marijuana should ever be legalized.”
“I’d say prohibitionists lost the discussion in large part.”
The potential elimination of prohibitive marijuana rules in the current bill–which includes halving the number of plants adults could grow, adding new criminal penalties and removing select social equity provisions—might be welcomed by advocates and certain stakeholders. The hemp industry has already raised concerns about policies that they believe could harm the market.
Callender stated that the marijuana legislation would be revised in order to distribute tax revenues from adult use sales to local governments, “as we had promised”, and as “voters” had pledged.
The U.S. Hemp Roundtable, which has yet to release the exact language of the proposal, issued an alert on Monday warning that it could “severely limit access” to the hemp products sold today at retail.
“They are considering banning sales of many products now found in places like health food markets, groceries, and CBD stores and limiting sales to a small number of newly created ‘hemp dispensaries,'” the organization said. We urge you to call your legislators today to tell them that it’s important for your business, and the customers of your company, to keep hemp products available in Ohio.
Callender was asked to explain why it seemed prudent to include hemp and marijuana regulations together in the bill that is pending, as opposed to a separate measure focusing only on hemp while the Chambers continued to discuss marijuana laws.
He said, “I believe we might still go there if it’s necessary.” When we look at the whole picture, the Senate may have a harder time saying no to marijuana issues that are important to us.
He said, “They either have to accept or reject it.” The issue will go before the conference committee if they do not accept it.
DeWine’s emergency rule prohibiting sale of hemp-based intoxicants for 90 days was issued weeks ago, along with an instruction to the state legislature that they should consider a permanent regulation. A county judge, in response to an ongoing legal battle, ordered the state not to enforce this policy last week.
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The Ohio Department of Cannabis Control, however, filed a set of new rules last month to complement the legalization of marijuana in the state. These proposed rules include plans for updating regulations regarding labeling requirements and packaging.
According to data provided by the Ohio Department of Commerce, this plan was proposed just weeks after sales of medical and adult marijuana in Ohio officially surpassed $3 billion.
The state sold about $703 million in recreational cannabis in the law’s first year of implementation, according to DCC data.
In March, a survey of 38 municipalities by the Ohio State University’s (OSU) Moritz College of Law found that local leaders were “unequivocally opposed” to earlier proposals that would have stripped the planned funding.
Meanwhile in Ohio, adults as of June are able to buy more than double the amount of marijuana than they were under previous limits, with state officials determining that the market can sustainably supply both medical cannabis patients and adult consumers.
In March, the governor announced separately his intention to use marijuana tax revenues to fund police training and local jails. He stated that funding for police training is a high priority, regardless of whether it’s included in the 2023 ballot measure.
Ohio’s Senate president has also pushed back against criticism of the Senate bill, claiming the legislation does not disrespect the will of the electorate and would have little impact on products available in stores.
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