The Ohioans for Cannabis Choice campaign, which sought to repeal recent hemp and cannabis legislation at the ballot box, has failed to collect enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Ohio Capital Journal reports.

Ohio Republican lawmakers passed Senate Bill 56 last year, which changes the state’s voter-approved adult-use cannabis policies and targets the state’s hemp industry with sweeping bans on most hemp-derived cannabinoids. Attorney General Dave Yost initially rejected the title and language of the campaign brief, but then approved the petition in February after the campaign filed revisions.

The campaign did not release the number of signatures they had collected, but it would need at least 248,092 signatures from a wide swath of counties to qualify.

“Unfortunately, we were unable to overcome a truncated window of time to give voters the opportunity to say no to government overreach.” – Dennis Willard, spokesman for Ohioans for Cannabis Choice, in a statement

The new rules, which take effect March 20, set new maximum THC levels for cannabis concentrates (70%) and flower products (35%) and prohibit possession of cannabis products sourced outside of Ohio. Cannabis consumers in the state are now also required to store cannabis products in their original packaging.

Changes to Ohio’s hemp regulations and voter-approved cannabis reforms for adults will go into effect this week on Thursday, March 19.

According to the new rules, sales of intoxicating hemp products are prohibited. The rules also create new THC caps of 70% for cannabis concentrate products and 35% for cannabis flower products and establish new crimes for possession of cannabis products from out-of-state sources. The rules will also require cannabis to be kept in its original packaging and stored in the trunk of vehicles during transit.

The changes, which Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed into law in December, prompted a voting campaign to repeal the legislation.

Campaign advocates are trying to collect the 250,000 signatures needed to qualify for the ballot before March 19, as that would delay implementation of the rules until the electorate decides. Cleveland.com reports.

DeWine said in February that the advocates behind the repeal campaign should stop “yelling” for changing the reforms approved by the voters by the legislators.

The legislation originally included a cut for THC-infused hemp beverage products, but the governor’s line item vetoed that provision.