The Ohio Senate’s approval is required to pass the marijuana and hemp deal

During a late-night vote, Ohio House lawmakers approved a conference report overhauling marijuana and hemp legislation.

The Ohio Senate is now expected to make a decision, with lawmakers adjourning late Wednesday before the report’s finalization.

According to the news release shared with Ohio.News, the Conference Committee on SB 56, initially scheduled to convene at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, instead, came together for a 30-minute meeting in the overnight hours to finalize a report that limited sales of intoxicating hemp in a 4-2 party-line vote.

The House then returned to session to approve the plan 52-34 shortly after 1 a.m.

The plan would maintain the current 10% adult-use marijuana tax rate, eliminate the voter-approved Cannabis Social Equity and Jobs Fund, allocate 36% of revenue from excise tax to the Host Community Cannabis Fund for local communities and bar packaging targeted at children.

The plan also targeted hemp, aligning with recent federal law banning intoxicating products outside licensed dispensaries and requiring THC-infused beverages to be up to 5mg per serving and disclose the amount on packaging.

“For many years now, the Ohio General Assembly has debated what our public policy should be towards marijuana, intoxicating hemp products, and the emergence of THC-infused beverages,” conferee State Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, said. “Today we get to strengthen Ohio’s economy, protect Ohio’s children, support our local governments and respect the individual liberties of our fellow citizens.”

State Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, defended the revision of the voter-approved law legalizing recreational marijuana, adding that “they voted to collect the money, but also not to pass it out.”

“We shouldn’t do anything,” he said. “Overall, for the average person who does recreational or medical marijuana, this bill will make it better. We’re still going to have 12 plants [per household]. It’s still going to be reasonable for most Ohioans.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine previously signed an executive order that targeted “dangerous” and “intoxicating hemp.”

“It’s really become a problem in Ohio; it’s become a problem across the country,” DeWine said. “They do it on purpose; they do it to attract kids.”

The signing of the executive order resulted in a lawsuit. After that, a judge issued an order to pause DeWine’s hemp ban. Later on, the Ohio House passed a measure to add hemp to Ohio’s marijuana laws. 

“This bill has undergone a robust, thorough and collaborative legislative process, and I believe we have landed on a good faith compromise between interested parties while reinforcing guardrails for the protection of Ohio’s children,” Speaker of the Ohio House Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said.