The Ohio Senate has passed a House-revised measure that would scale back parts of the state’s voter-approved cannabis statute and limit where most hemp products can be sold. Senators approved the revised bill on a 22–7 vote, agreeing to the House changes and forwarding the measure to Governor Mike DeWine.
The legislation, introduced by Senator Stephen Huffman, underwent significant revisions over the past several weeks after the two chambers clashed over its scope.
If signed, the bill would roll back parts of the 2023 adult-use cannabis law approved by voters and revive penalties for certain activities that had been permitted. It would also delete protections that prevented discrimination against people who legally use cannabis, including safeguards tied to child custody decisions, access to organ transplants, and some professional licenses.
Advocates for broader legalization say the final bill crosses a line by discarding rules meant to shield residents who use cannabis within the bounds of the law. Under the revised plan, anyone who possesses marijuana purchased outside Ohio’s regulated dispensaries or grown outside a permitted home-grow could face criminal penalties. For instance, someone carrying cannabis bought legally in Michigan could be charged once back in Ohio.
The bill also places new limits on where people can smoke or vape. Using cannabis in outdoor public spaces like bar patios would be prohibited, and landlords would be allowed to ban vaping at rental properties. Violating a landlord’s rule, even in a private backyard, could lead to a misdemeanor.
Lawmakers also rewrote plans for regulating intoxicating hemp products. Instead of establishing a new oversight structure, the final bill bars sales of products that exceed a low THC threshold or contain synthetic cannabinoids unless they are purchased through licensed dispensaries. This aligns with federal changes signed by President Donald Trump last month.
Federal rules give states a one-year window to implement the new hemp restrictions, but Ohio’s legislation appears to be moving faster. One exception covers cannabinoid beverages, which would fall under a temporary state program until the end of 2026.
Huffman argued on the Senate floor that the proposal preserves the basic framework of the voter-approved system while tightening rules to protect public safety and minors. Senator Bill DeMora countered that the bill defies the intent of the 2.2 million Ohioans who supported the 2023 measure. He said lawmakers have spent two years undoing what voters intended on issues ranging from home cultivation to how tax revenue flows to local communities.
Huffman has pushed back on that idea, saying voters changed the state code rather than the Constitution, which allows lawmakers to alter the statute. He maintains that most users will find the new rules workable.
Entities like Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCQX: TCNNF) that have been involved in advocacy to reform marijuana laws in states like Florida are unlikely to be pleased by what is happening in Ohio where voters made their wishes known and passed a ballot measure but lawmakers are rolling back the scope of that voter-approved reform.
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