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Ohio House Passes Bill To Remove Voter-Approved Marijuana Legalization Protections And Restrict Hemp Market

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4 months ago

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The Ohio House of Representatives has passed a bill that would do just that make significant changes to the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law removing several protections for consumers, while also adding some new restrictions on hemp products intended to align the two sectors of the cannabis industry.

After passing through several House committees this week, with major amendments, the House approved Sen. Stephen Huffman’s (R) legislation on a vote of 87-8 on Wednesday.

Although the measure was previously approved by the Senate, it will have to return to that chamber for concurrence, or go to a bicameral conference committee, before going to the governor’s desk.

The House watered down some controversial provisions of the Senate-passed bill, but advocates are concerned that it would still make major changes to the marijuana law voters approve in 2023.

Rep. Brian Stewart (R), who has led the legislation through the House, argued before the vote that the legislation effectively achieves “carefully crafted compromise” among lawmakers with differing views on cannabis issues.

“It’s been very difficult to debate this bill, but most of our important bills usually are. Instead of being some kind of weak-sauce tie-breaker mash-up, this bill does what we claim we want to come to Columbus,” he said. “It tackles the issue head-on. It makes tough decisions. It respects and implements the views of residents and advocates from affected industries. This bill strikes a good balance between Ohioans’ individual liberties, their safety, the financial well-being of our local communities, and the need to protect the health and safety of Ohio’s children.”

Rep. Jamie Callender (R), who sponsored legislation to legalize marijuana before voters passed the reform on the ballot, said the bill is “not perfect,” but argued that lawmakers “must take action” to address intoxicating hemp and other pending issues.

“This is the revised code we’re writing,” he said. “I anticipate that there will be many more bills on these issues in the near and long term, as there should be … I will continue to work with all of them to make it better.”

While its supporters have described it as a less hands-off approach than the original Senate bill, the measure would make significant changes to existing legalization law, with several provisions that advocates say are in direct conflict with the will of voters and represent legislative overreach.

For example, the proposal would eliminate language in the current statute that provides anti-discrimination protections for 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.

Karen O’Keefe, director of state policy for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), said in a letter to House lawmakers on Wednesday that SB 56 today “eliminates key protections of the law enacted by voters and re-criminalizes harmless behaviors that voters legalized.”

“Please reject this erosion of the liberties established by the voters,” he said.

Unlike the Senate-passed version of the bill, the House alternative would send cannabis sales tax revenue to local governments.

The legislation, amended by the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, also adds new restrictions on the hemp market. With the exception of beverages, hemp products would only be allowed to be sold in licensed hemp dispensaries.

Stores and breweries would be allowed to sell hemp-derived THC drinks, with new advertising restrictions to avoid appealing to youth. Products for on-premise consumption would be limited to 5 mg of THC, but adults could buy drinks of up to 10 mg to take home. Stronger drinks could also be manufactured in Ohio, but only for sale to people outside the state.

The bill would also include a new $1.20 per liter tax on hemp beverages.

The measure Earlier on Wednesday, the Treasury Board also amended it to clarify that people seeking to have their marijuana possession charges dropped would not have to prove the exact amount of cannabis they possessed. The amendment would also allow for dismissal of dismissed marijuana charges, not just convictions.

The amendment also aligns the beverage cannabinoid policy with the beverage laws and clarifies that the penalties for selling marijuana, hemp beverages or cannabinoid products to a minor would be the same regardless of the type of product.

Wednesday’s House vote comes weeks after the governor issued emergency regulations banning the sale of hemp products for 90 dayswith instructions to the legislature to consider permanent regulations. Last week, however, a county judge ordered the state to enforce that policy in response to a legal challenge.

“Quite frankly, the legislature didn’t take action,” Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said in an interview published this week. “I’m still hopeful that the legislature will step in and take action.”

House Speaker Matt Huffman (R) recently commented on the relative lack of progress on marijuana and hemp legislation since voters approved legalization on the ballot in 2023, highlighting the stark divisions within the Republican caucus.

There are “people who think marijuana should be legalized and regulated,” others who “think hemp products should be on par with everything that happened in the statute that started and then “people, like me, who are prohibitionists, don’t think it should be legalized at all and should be rare,” he said.

“I would say the prohibitionists have lost this debate.”

—
It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
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Meanwhile, last month, the Ohio Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) introduced new proposed rules to underpin the state’s marijuana legalization law. establishing plans to update regulations on labeling and packaging requirements.

The proposal arrived a few weeks later Medical and adult marijuana sales in Ohio officially surpassed $3 billionData from the state Department of Commerce (DOC) shows.

the state About $703 million worth of recreational cannabis was sold in the first year the law was enactedAccording to data from DCC.

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 if it wasn’t approved by voters in 2023.

Ohio’s Senate President also pushed back against criticism of the Senate bill, claiming that the legislation does not respect the will of the electorate and it would have little effect on the products available in stores.

user photo Philip Steffan.

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New partnership to expand greenhouse drone distribution across Europe

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26 minutes ago

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February 6, 2026

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GeoCue welcomes MOST Robotics to its global distribution network. Based in Germany and serving customers throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland, MOST Robotics will offer TrueView GO LiDAR solutions and LP360 software, from GeoCue, to surveying, construction, forestry, agricultural and industrial inspection professionals looking for a complete and reliable workflow from data capture to delivery.

Founded in 2021 by Valentin Möller and Lennart Stollberg, MOST Robotics builds on deep UAV experience since 2015, offering integrated turnkey drone and sensor solutions, supported by technical consulting and first-class customer support. Their team works closely with end users to ensure technology works in real-world conditions, from flight planning to endpoint cloud processing, a full-service company for individual solutions.

MOST Robotics is expanding its portfolio of handheld SLAM LiDAR and LP360 software to directly respond to customer needs, especially for projects where flight restrictions, dense vegetation or indoor environments make aerial collection difficult. With TrueView GO and LP360, customers can complement drone surveys with ground-based SLAM capture, process aerial LiDAR and produce high-quality photogrammetric output. This approach supports rapid and accurate classification of large data sets and the creation of highly accurate digital terrain models, helping to reduce office processing time while improving the final quality of delivery.

© MOST Robotics

Valentin Möller, CEO of MOST Robotics, commented: “GeoCue makes UAV LiDAR and SLAM bridges in a way that matches how our customers work in the real world. We spend a lot of time in the field with customers, which gives us practical feedback and clear ideas on what needs to be improved. GeoCue is open to this kind of input, and we’re excited to help shape each of our customers’ missions.”

Samuel Flick, GeoCue’s European Sales Manager, added: “We are delighted to welcome MOST Robotics to the GeoCue distribution network. Their technical depth and customer-first approach make them a strong partner as we continue to grow the LiDAR market in Europe. We look forward to supporting their team as they expand access to the TrueView product line, including aerial, handheld and LiDAR 360 mobile device software.”

For more information:
MOST robotics
https://mostrobotics.com/

GeoCue
https://geocue.com/

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USDA-APHIS grants non-regulated status to two gene-edited hemp varieties

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1 day ago

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February 5, 2026

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USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently issued regulatory status review responses for two new gene-edited hemp varieties, determining that they are not subject to federal regulation under 7 CFR part 340. Developed by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, these gene-edited plants have been found to have no increased risk of plant pests compared to conventional hemp. This federal clearance marks an important milestone in easing the path from laboratory to commercial cultivation of precision-bred industrial crops.

© Crop Innovation Center of Wisconsin-MadisonBadger PMR hemp variety gene-edited

Badger PMR (Dust Resistant) has full dust resistance, and Badger Zero (Cannabinoid Free) is cannabinoid free. The main innovation involves the creation of hemp varieties that are unable to produce THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive compound found in cannabis. Using CRISPR gene-editing technology to turn off specific genes responsible for THC production, the UW-Madison team has solved a major hurdle for the industry. This genetic certainty prevents crops from being “hot” — the term used when THC levels accidentally exceed the legal limit of 0.3 percent — which previously forced farmers to destroy entire fields to comply with federal law.

Beyond THC removal, researchers have also engineered varieties with higher concentrations of CBG (cannabigerol), a non-psychoactive cannabinoid valued for its potential therapeutic benefits. These advances are expected to stabilize the hemp market, providing growers with reliable, high-value and legal-compliant varieties. With the regulatory green light from the USDA, these precision-bred hemp lines are poised to revitalize the industry, providing a safer and more profitable future for farmers across the United States.

For more information:
International Service for the Acquisition of Agricultural Biotechnology Applications
Email: (email protected)
isaaa.org/default.asp



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Kentucky Governor Announces Medical Marijuana Gummies Are Now Available, While Pushing Lawmakers To Approve New Qualifying Conditions

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1 day ago

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February 5, 2026

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Kentucky’s governor is urging lawmakers to give more patients legal access to medical marijuana, announcing that cannabis gummies can now be purchased at state-licensed dispensaries.

Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said Thursday that his administration has sent a letter urging legislative leadership to pass a bill that lists ALS, Parkinson’s disease, Crohn’s disease, sickle cell anemia, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, terminal illnesses and other conditions as conditions for medical cannabis.

“In most other states that have a medical marijuana program, these are conditions that are covered, and conditions that are deemed appropriate by our board of physicians and counselors,” he said. “Expanding the list could help the approximately 430,000 Kentuckians who currently lack access but face these challenges.”

The governor said state officials are “making great strides” in expanding the medical marijuana program to “increase access for those who are already eligible.”

“We currently have 510 registered professionals and over 18,500 approved cards, and those numbers continue to grow,” Beshear said, adding that regulators are making “steady progress” in accepting businesses at every step of the cannabis supply chain.

“As the supply chain expands, patients are starting to see more options online,” he said. “We can announce that gummies are on the market in Kentucky and showing progress in communities across Kentucky.”




The governor’s latest update comes about a month after he took the podium and said “not happy” with the time it’s taken to roll out the state’s medical marijuana program—but predicts that the pace of patient access will “significantly increase” in 2026.

Also last month, Beshear said two more dispensaries will open their doors “once additional product becomes available.” The The state’s first medical cannabis plant was launched in December.

The governor, who has long championed cannabis reform, he anticipated a market launch that monthwhile claiming that medical marijuana will help thousands of patients find an alternative to opioids for pain management.

He at the end of October it passed the milestone of registering 15,000 patientsbut that has grown significantly in recent weeks.

Beshear previously acknowledged that “it’s taken longer than we would have liked” to sustain the industry since he signed off on legalizing medical marijuana in 2023.

Considering this delayed implementation, he signed an executive order this year to waive renewal fees for patients who get the cards so that they are not charged again before the stores open. And another order he signed to provide protections for qualified patients who obtain medical marijuana outside of Kentucky “will remain in place.”

Beshear announced separately that in May the state launched a new online directory that allows people to see where medicinal cannabis will open next to them

He noted that the state is working to provide access to patients “as soon as possible,” which includes speeding up the licensing process. Last January, so did the governor ceremoniously issued the first medical marijuana cards in the commonwealth.

—
It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
—

Meanwhile, the governors sent a letter to Kentucky’s congressional delegation last yearurging them to “take decisive action to protect the constitutional rights of our law-abiding medical cannabis patients” by repealing the federal ban on possession of firearms by marijuana users.

Bipartisan Kentucky senators introduced similar legislation asked the federal representatives of the state to take corrective measuresBeshear said he agrees but would I would like to see even more significant changes at the federal level.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) warned Kentucky residents that in 2024, if they choose to participate in the state’s medical marijuana program, they will be prohibited from buying or possessing firearms under federal law.

Health professionals have been able to Patients began to evaluate the recommendations from the beginning of last December.

While there are currently no operational dispensaries for patients, Beshear also confirmed that an executive order he signed in 2023 will be in place in the interim, protecting patients. Those with medical cannabis purchased from licensed out-of-state retailers.

In the November 2024 election, Kentucky also saw more than 100 cities and counties pass local ordinances to allow medical cannabis businesses in their jurisdictions. The governor said the election results show that “the jury is no longer out” on the issue this is clearly supported by voters across party and geographic lines.

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