Cannabis News
Ohio Attorney General Approves Referendum To Reverse Marijuana And Hemp Restrictions
Ohio’s attorney general has accepted a recent submission a referendum petition to block parts of a restrictive marijuana and hemp law He said it was “misleading” to go into effect after rejecting an initial version.
“After careful review of this submission, I conclude that the title and summary are a fair and true statement of the proposed measure,” Attorney General Dave Yost (R) wrote in a letter to the petitioners on Wednesday.
“My certification of the title and abstract … should not be construed as an endorsement of the enforceability and constitutionality of the referendum petition,” he said. “My role, as executed here, is to determine whether the wording of the title and summary adequately advises the material components of a measure.”
The Ohioan-led referendum for Cannabis Choice wants it that way repealing key components of the bill the governor recently signed it Reduce the state’s voter-approved marijuana law and prohibit the sale of consumable hemp products outside of licensed cannabis dispensaries.
Yost said last month that an initial submission from the group contained “omissions and errors that would generally mislead a potential signer about the scope and effects of SB 56.” Then they presented an updated version.
Now the latest version of the band the proposal it has been accepted attorney general, efforts can begin to collect a total of around 250,000 signatures for the vote.
The office of Gov. Mike DeWine (R) and a senator who led the charge to pass SB 56 have had it He criticized the cannabis referendum campaign.
In essence, the proposed referendum would repeal the first three sections of the controversial bill DeWine signed into law in December, which he says is intended to combat the unregulated intoxicating hemp market. But the legislation would do more than limit the sale of cannabinoid products to dispensaries.
The law also criminalizes certain marijuana activities that were legalized under the 2023 ballot initiative, and would also remove anti-discrimination protections for cannabis users that were established under that law.
The governor also used his line veto powers to cancel a section of the bill that would have delayed the implementation of the hemp beverage ban.
Advocates and stakeholders vehemently protested the current legislation, arguing that it undermines the will of voters who approved cannabis legalization and would effectively wipe out the state’s hemp industry, as there is little hope that adults will choose hemp-based products over marijuana when they visit a dispensary.
The rejection spurred the newly introduced referendum, but the road to successfully blocking the law is narrow.
If activists reach the signature threshold by the deadline, which coincides with the same day the restrictive law goes into effect, SB 56 would not be enacted until voters have a chance to decide on the issue on the ballot.
A summary of the submitted referendum reads: “Sections 1, 2, and 3 of 56 Am. Sub. Sub. SB enact new provisions and amend and repeal existing provisions in the Ohio Revised Code relating to the regulation, criminalization, and taxation of cannabis products, such as the sale, use, possession, cultivation, licensing, classification, classification of marijuana, marijuana, and certain hemp products.”
“If the majority of voters vote not to approve Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Act, the approved amendments will not have any effect and the previous version of the affected laws will remain in force,” it says.
Advocates have expressed several concerns with the law, including that it would eliminate language in statutes that provide anti-discrimination protections to people who legally use cannabis. It includes safeguards against adverse action in the context of child custody rights, the ability to perform organ transplants, and professional licensing.
It would also recriminalize possession of marijuana from any source other than a state-licensed Ohio dispensary or possession of marijuana from a legal household. Because of this, people can be charged with a felony for carrying cannabis purchased from a legal Michigan store in the Michigan area.
It would also ban the smoking of cannabis in outdoor public places, such as bar patios, and ban landlords from vaping marijuana in rental properties. Violation of this latter policy, even if it involves vaping in a person’s backyard in a rental property, would be a misdemeanor offense.
The legislation would also replace what had been a regulatory framework for intoxicating hemp that the House passed with a broad ban on over-the-counter marijuana sales, following a recent federal move to recriminalize such products.
By law, hemp items containing more than 0.4 mg of total THC per container or containing synthetic cannabinoids cannot be sold outside of a licensed marijuana dispensary. That would be in line with the new federal hemp law included in an appropriations package signed by President Donald Trump.
The federal law banning most consumer hemp products has a one-year implementation window, however, and Ohio’s legislation appears likely to go into effect sooner. The Legislature approved a temporary hemp beverage regulatory program in Ohio until December 31, 2026, but the governor vetoed that provision.
The law also includes language that, if the federal government moves to legalize hemp with a higher THC content, the Ohio legislature intends to review that policy change and explore potential statewide reforms to regulate these products.
The bill’s signing came after DeWine issued emergency regulations banning the sale of hemp products for 90 dayswith instructions to the legislature to consider permanent regulations. It has been done by a county judge ordered the state to enforce that policy in response to a legal challenge.
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Meanwhile, in September, the Ohio Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) released rules for the state’s proposed marijuana legalization legislation, establishing plans to update regulations on labeling and packaging requirements.
Merchants of Ohio It sold more than $1 billion worth of legal marijuana products in 2025, according to data from the State Department of Commerce (DOC).
In March, a survey of 38 municipalities by the Ohio State University (OSU) Moritz School of Law found local leaders were “unequivocally opposed” to earlier proposals which would have cut planned funding..
Meanwhile, in Ohio, adults can buy more than double the amount of marijuana starting in June than were under previous limits, state officials determined that the market could sustainably supply patients and adult users of medical cannabis.
The governor announced his desire individually in March Marijuana tax revenue to support police training, local jails and behavioral health services. He said funding for police training was a top priority, even though it was not included when voters approved it in 2023.
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Aurora Cannabis has been granted Plant Breeder’s rights in Canada for two cannabis cultivars developed through its global breeding program. This certificate gives Aurora exclusive rights to grow, propagate and sell finished products produced from these varieties.
The two protected cultivars, SOT20R07-007 (known as Gas Granja) and SOT20R07-005 (known as Driftwood Diesel), were developed at Aurora Coastal, Aurora’s industry-leading research and development facility in Comox, British Columbia. The company carefully selected these cultivars based on their unique characteristics, how they grow and how consistently they perform. Farm GasT and Driftwood DieselT are the leading medical cannabis products available to patients in Germany, Poland, the UK, Canada and Australia.
© Aurora Cannabis
“These plant breeder rights recognize the extensive work behind our core breeding, genetic development and testing program,” says Lana Culley, Aurora’s Vice President of Innovation and International Operations. “They reflect a cross-disciplinary approach to developing cultivars that provide consistency, performance and reliability to medical cannabis patients around the world.”
Understanding plant breeders’ rights in Canada
Plant breeders’ rights are a form of intellectual property protection, similar to patents, that apply specifically to new and different plant varieties. In Canada, plant breeders’ rights are granted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and give growers exclusive rights to produce and sell a protected plant variety. This framework recognizes the significant scientific investment required to develop cultivars that are clearly distinct and produce the same results over time. For Aurora, plant breeders’ rights protect the cannabis genetics developed through its in-house breeding program, supporting ongoing innovation and long-term research.
For more information:
Aurora Cannabis Inc.
auroramj.com
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A perspective paper to be published in Frontiers in Horticulture addresses the widespread but inconsistent use of the term “sustainable growing media” in the horticultural and greenhouse sectors. The publication, written by an international team of researchers and industry experts including Dr Alexander Sentinella of Growing Media Europe, examines how the term has been diluted and proposes a more rigorous evidence-based approach.
“The term is used to mean almost anything and everything,” said Dr. Sentinella. “Along with terms like ‘green’ or ‘climate friendly’, they start to lose their helpful meaning.” The authors argue that this lack of precision undermines research comparability and decision-making in commercial production.
Misconceptions and oversimplification
The article highlights the common tendency to equate sustainability with a single characteristic, such as renewable, circular or peat-free. “People conflate sustainability with individual concepts like climate footprint or renewables, but these are not interchangeable,” he explains. Labels such as “non-toxic” are identified as particularly problematic, as they are often interpreted as an indication of environmental benefit without support.
“‘Peat-free’ means there’s no peat in the mix. It doesn’t show a lower environmental impact or better sustainability unless that’s actually measured.” The authors warn that these assumptions risk misleading growers and managers.
A multi-dimensional and system-dependent concept
Central to the article is the recognition that the sustainability of growing media encompasses three interrelated pillars: environmental, economic, and social. Environmental impacts include not only the climate footprint, but also land and water use. Economic sustainability includes cost, availability and consistency, while social sustainability covers working conditions, health and safety.
“A product may work well environmentally, but not economically or socially. These trade-offs are unavoidable and must be accepted.” The paper emphasizes that sustainability cannot be attributed to individual materials in isolation, but must be assessed within the entire production system.
“Growing media are part of a larger horticultural system. A substrate with a smaller product footprint that reduces yield can lead to a worse overall outcome when the impacts on total production are considered.”
© Growing Media Europe
From hypotheses to measurement
To improve clarity, the authors advocate measurable system-based assessments. Life cycle methodologies are identified as critical tools, including environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA). The latter follows the framework developed by the United Nations Environment Program and SETAC, which allows for the assessment of impacts between workers, communities and supply chains.
“Most conversations focus on reducing footprints, but we really need to measure them. The results may not match expectations, which is why measurement is necessary.”
The paper also notes that social impact continues to be emphasized in today’s evaluations, despite the availability of methodologies that consider factors such as labor rights, occupational health and community effects along the value chain.
Guidelines for the responsible use of the term
Rather than proposing a universal definition, the authors outline minimum requirements for the responsible use of the term “sustainable growing medium”. These include explicitly defining the scope of claims, identifying which sustainability pillars are addressed and supporting statements with verifiable data. Absolute claims are abandoned in favor of comparative and context-specific language.
“The best step forward is to use more precise terminology,” advises Dr. Sentinella. “If you mean lower environmental impact, say so and measure it.”
Implications for industry and policy
The findings have practical implications for producers, suppliers and policy makers. The paper cautions against relying solely on proxy indicators such as peat reduction as a measure of sustainability. “If policies focus on a single attribute, there is a risk of neglecting wider impacts. We must base decisions on results measured in environmental, economic and social dimensions.”
The authors conclude that progress in sustainable growth media will depend less on redefining the term and more on improving how evidence is generated and communicated. “It is better to say ‘more sustainable’ and explain why. Clear definitions and measurable indicators are essential for progress in the greenhouse sector.”
Be careful last published paper.
For more information:
Growing Media Europe
Dr. Alexander Sentinella, co-author
(email protected)
www.growing-media.eu
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