CLEVELAND - ohio lawmakers are poised to significantly restrict access to intoxicating hemp products, potentially removing them from gas stations, grocery stores, adn bars as early as January 2027. The Ohio House passed Senate Bill 56 overnight, a measure that overhauls regulations surrounding both hemp-derived THC and traditional marijuana within the state.
If enacted, the bill would limit the sale of intoxicating hemp and THC beverages to state-licensed dispensaries, capping THC content at 5 milligrams per serving. While existing retailers could continue selling these products through 2026, the legislation aims to align Ohio’s laws more closely with federal regulations.
Beyond hemp restrictions, Senate Bill 56 also addresses marijuana policy. It establishes a unified statewide system for medical and recreational marijuana, maintaining the current 10% tax rate.Individuals with prior low-level marijuana possession convictions or guilty pleas would be eligible to have their records cleared, provided the prior amount complied with current laws.
The bill clarifies personal use rights, allowing adults to consume marijuana on their own property-expanding beyond previous restrictions to inside the home only-and permits home cultivation of up to six plants per person, with a household limit of twelve. Thirty-six percent of marijuana tax revenue will be allocated back to communities hosting dispensaries.
Public safety provisions within the bill include a ban on public smoking, requirements for child-resistant packaging that does not mimic candy, and a prohibition on marijuana consumption inside moving vehicles.
the legislation now moves to the Ohio Senate for consideration, and ultimately requires Governor Mike DeWine’s signature to become law. “Selling a lot of these products that we’ve already said are really concerning, could potentially harm kids,” stated Republican Senate President Rob McColley, highlighting a key concern driving the legislation.