A second Ohio judge last week granted a temporary restraining order to halt its implementation SB 56new state policy banning the sale of intoxicating hemp products, WCMH reports.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Brown’s ruling supports the plaintiffs, Happy Harvest and Get Wright Lounge, in their lawsuit challenging the new policy. The lawsuit alleges that SB 56 violates federal law by classifying hemp-derived THC products as cannabis, not hemp, and by regulating them under the state’s adult-use cannabis program.

State Rep. Jennifer Gross (R), who supports overturning SB 56, told WCMH that the issue goes beyond the definitions of hemp versus cannabis products — that “It’s about whether the Ohio Constitution still means what it says.”

“When a conference committee can rewrite a bill overnight, remove provisions that gave it a majority, and then pass it without three readings or proper committee review, every Ohioan loses — no matter what side of the issue they’re on. I took an oath on the Constitution and I intend to uphold it.” – Gross, in the report

Brown’s ruling is the second ruling against SB 56 by a Sandusky County Common Pleas judge ruled in early April that the policy change is “inherently discriminatory,” ordering a stay on its implementation until a preliminary ruling is reached. The first ruling applies only to the plaintiffs in this case and only to specific local operations. Meanwhile, the Brown ruling applies nationwide, but affects only plaintiffs.

SB 56, which took effect March 31, also created new criminal penalties for the possession and consumption of cannabis products from out-of-state sources.

Maine lawmakers have rejected a bill that would have required medical cannabis products sold in the state to be tracked and tested, Maine News Center reports. The bill failed in the House on Monday, 74-71, with five lawmakers absent.

The proposal from Rep. Anne Graham (D), who is also a nurse practitioner, included provisions to provide state aid to medical cannabis producers who make less than $125,000 a year to help cover testing costs.

Shanna Souza, owner of Homegrown of Augusta, said the state would “lose 200-300” good medical cannabis caregivers if the bill were to become law. Currently, there are about 1,600 medical cannabis caregivers in the state.

During the debate over the legislation, which is opposed by medical cannabis activists, Rep. David Boyer (R) asked, “Where are the bodies? Where is the damage?”

“Patients are not asking for this. They are asking to kill the bill.” – Boyer, during the debate, via News Center Maine

The proposal will still be heard by the Senate, where it was introduced Monday after the House vote.

In 2018, the state updated its medical cannabis rules to include annual inspections and sample testing for products sold in dispensaries, according to a Maine Morning Star report, but these rules do not apply to guardians.

There will be no protections provided in Nebraska state law this year for doctors who refer patients to the state’s medical cannabis program after cannabis opponents blocked the legislation from state Sen. John Cavanaugh (R). NTV reports.

legislators voted to approve proposal during early review. However, in subsequent debates, opponents of medical cannabis derailed the bill with amendments that sought to change the intent of the proposal.

With the added changes, Cavanaugh eventually withdrew the bill from consideration, noting that “This bill no longer serves the purpose of ensuring that children have access to medicine.”

“Every amendment that has been introduced to that bill is hostile and an attempt to hijack that bill and go against the will of the voters.” – Cavanaugh, via NTV

Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved the state’s medical cannabis program in 2024, but rollout has been slow and, for many advocates, frustrating.

Crista Eggers of the Nebraskans Campaign for Medical Marijuana said KETV“If there are no practitioners, there are no patients in this program.”

“What seems to be the purpose of this is to make sure that Nebraska never has a functioning program,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Nebraska Legislature approved last week the first state legislation related to the medical cannabis program. This bill would allow the Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission to impose new fees on the industry and increase revenue.