Lawmakers in Ohio advanced a measure that would tighten rules on hemp products with intoxicating effects and revise several parts of the state’s recreational cannabis system. The House approved Senate Bill 56 in a 52-34 vote, sending it back to the upper chamber for final consideration.
The Senate is scheduled to return on December 9, and House Speaker Matt Huffman said he was confident the chamber would sign off on the proposal.
The Senate first approved the legislation in February, but the House later added new rules for intoxicating hemp, which prompted senators to vote unanimously in October against adopting those changes. That decision sent the issue to negotiation.
Soon after, federal lawmakers voted to prohibit products containing more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per package as part of the agreement to reopen the federal government. The 2018 Farm Bill had previously allowed hemp cultivation as long as plants remained below 0.3 percent THC.
Although the federal restriction does not take effect for a year, states can adopt their own rules sooner. Steve Huffman said Congress’s move shaped Ohio’s approach to both hemp and marijuana. The bill now aims to keep intoxicating hemp products out of general retail shops by limiting sales to licensed cannabis dispensaries.
If the Senate signs off and Governor Mike DeWine approves the measure before January, the hemp provisions could begin as early as March. Five-milligram THC beverages would still be allowed until the end of 2026. Lawmakers also included language signaling that they would revisit the issue if federal rules shift again.
On the cannabis side, the bill lowers THC limits for concentrates to 70%, caps flower at 35%, and expands restrictions on smoking in public places. Some probable cause language was removed, though officers could still act if drivers show clear signs of impairment.
Communities hosting recreational dispensaries would receive 36% of adult-use tax revenue. The tax rate for recreational cannabis would remain at 10%, and home grow limits would stay at six plants per person and twelve per household.
Voters approved recreational cannabis in 2023 with 57% support, and sales began in August 2024. Since the measure passed as a statute rather than a constitutional amendment, lawmakers are permitted to modify it.
Critics say the new bill ignores what residents approved. Supporters argue it brings needed structure to a young industry and addresses public safety concerns as the market expands. Many actors within the broader marijuana industry, even across borders, such as Tilray Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) (TSX: TLRY), will be happy that some clarity is being brought into the hemp THC phenomenon in the U.S.
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