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

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7 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.”

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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.

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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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Third cannabis business approved by Jefferson Town Council

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18 hours ago

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May 15, 2026

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The Jefferson City Council unanimously approved “Green Leevs” as the city’s first cannabis micro-farm at its May 6 meeting. This is the third cannabis business approved by the municipality in order to bring income to the municipality. Retail dispensaries “Greenlight Apothecary” and “Gas and Grass” were previously approved.

Green Leevs are owned by Bill Comeford, Elliot McClendon and Josh Moskowitz. All three are from the local area, Comeford grew up in Jefferson. In New Jersey, a micro-enterprise is a facility with 2,500 square feet of growing space. A micro-farm relies on the craftsmanship of cannabis rather than mass production.

“We have more control, we have more hands, the smaller grow rooms make it easier to inspect each plant,” Comeford said. “If you’re careful, it makes for a better product at the end of the day.”

Green Leeves understands that there are mixed feelings about the Council’s approval of the cannabis industry and hopes that this will ease over time.

Read more at Press Jefferson










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Virginia Governor Signs Marijuana Resentencing Bill After Lawmakers Rejected Her Amendments

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18 hours ago

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May 15, 2026

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Virginia’s governor has signed legislation to grant sentence relief to people with past marijuana convictions, even as lawmakers have refused to accept proposed amendments to the legislation that would significantly narrow the scope of reform.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) gave final approval to the bills, Rozia Henson Jr.’s HB 26 (D) and Senate President Pro Tem Louise Lucas’ SB 62 (D), on Thursday.

Separately, lawmakers and advocates are waiting the governor’s action on separate legislation to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana after amendments to his proposal were similarly rejected by the House and Senate last month. The changes suggested in that legislation included delaying the start of sales by six months, increasing taxes and introducing new criminal penalties for cannabis users.

Retrial reform, on the other hand, creates a process by which people incarcerated or on community custody for certain crimes involving the possession, manufacture, sale or distribution of marijuana will consider changing their sentences to receive an automatic trial.

Spanberger sent proposed amendments to lawmakers last month They had to proactively submit requests for assistance to affected people instead of the courts proceeding automatically. The Senate and House of Representatives, however, rejected the proposal, effectively rejecting it and sending the original legislation to Spanberger’s desk.

Henson, the sponsor of the House version of the bill, said it was ready to accept the governor’s changes, even if he is concerned this would mean that some people with cannabis convictions would fall through the cracks because they “didn’t have a lawyer or didn’t know how to ask.”

The whole parliament did not agree with the change, however, and now HB 26 and SB 62 The laws that were originally approved have been implemented.

The relief will apply to people with convictions or convictions for conduct that occurred before July 1, 2021, when a state law that legalized personal possession and home cultivation of marijuana went into effect. State and local corrections officials should identify and notify eligible individuals of their rights to provide notice of relief and then work with courts to automatically schedule hearings.

Henson said last month that the resentencing legislation was “built for people who are still paying the price for something that Virginia has made legal.”

“If the commonwealth were to change the law, it still has the duty to review the consequences of the people punished according to the old one,” he said.

The governor’s office said in a press release when he proposed his amendments that they “clarify that there will be no tolerance for violent crimes in Virginia, from armed robbery to possession of firearms to distribute fentanyl, heroin and other dangerous drugs.”

But Henson said he shares the “governor’s commitment” to making sure violent offenders are not eligible for this relief; and that commitment is reflected in the bill itself, which excluded people convicted of violent acts under Virginia law.

Spanberger’s release last month made no mention of the actual major changes to the bill, which was the removal of automatic leniency provisions for people with cannabis convictions.

The governor’s amendment also proposed removing the deadline for court filings on the retrial.

In the previous session, members of parliament approved similar legislation, but the then government vetoed it. Glenn Young (R).

Separately, Spanberger signed several other reform bills last month, including measures protecting the parental rights of marijuana users and giving patients access to medical cannabis in hospitals.

Cannabis policy reform organizations, on the other hand, sent a letter earlier this month asking the governor to enact the adult-use marijuana sales bill.

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Cannabis operators report mixed results as rescheduling reshapes the financial outlook

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2 days ago

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May 14, 2026

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The rescheduling came mid-quarter and rewrote the tax math for each medical sales operator, but the underlying revenue picture remained uneven in early 2026, with acquisitions driven at one end of the scale and continued top-line compression at the other.

Vireo Growth: Back on $106 million deal
Vireo Growth Inc. reported Q1 GAAP revenue of $106.2 million, up 333.5% year-over-year, driven almost entirely by recent acquisitions rather than organic growth. The company completed the Schwazze acquisition in March, adding 45 dispensaries and two manufacturing facilities in Colorado and New Mexico. At the end of the quarter, it closed Eaze and Hawthorne Gardening, FLUENT Corp. announced an acquisition agreement and executed a California dispensary joint venture with Glass House Brands. Treating all acquisitions as closed on January 1, 2025 on a pro forma basis, revenue was $210.2 million and adjusted EBITDA was $42.2 million. The company ended the quarter with $137.8 million in cash.

John Mazarakis, CEO of Vireo, said: “Performance in the first quarter met our expectations and we are excited to welcome Schwazze, Eaze and Hawthorne to Vireo. We are focused on integration and optimization across the platform, while remaining opportunistic regarding growth opportunities associated with further acquisitions.”

Cresco Labs: $151 million, 280E relief and Texas license
Cresco Labs reported Q1 revenue of $151 million, down from $165.8 million in Q1 2025. Adjusted gross margin was 50.7% and adjusted EBITDA margin of $33 million was 21.7%. Cash at the end of the quarter was $67 million against a $310 million secured term loan. The company was conditionally granted a Texas Compassionate Use Program license after the quarter ended and opened two new dispensaries in Ohio.

Management said, “Moving the state’s legal medical cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III is the most impactful reform this industry has seen, and it validates the work we’ve been executing for years. We’ve built the operational foundation and balance sheet discipline to reap the immediate benefits of rescheduling, and position Cresco to take advantage of the broader path to normalization.”

Jushi Holdings: 4% growth, 460 basis point margin expansion
Jushi Holdings reported first-quarter revenue of $66.4 million, up 4% year-over-year, with gross profit margin up 460 basis points to 45%. Adjusted EBITDA was $11.4 million, up 17.2%. The margin improvement was driven by higher production volumes in Ohio, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and the performance of grower processors. Jushi brand products accounted for 58% of retail revenue in vertical markets. The company refinanced $132.3 million in debt during the quarter, providing $160 million in new debt through 2029.

Jim Cacioppo, president and CEO, said: “The recent scheduling of state-licensed medical marijuana for Schedule III is an important milestone for the industry, eliminating 280E tax limitations for medical operations and supporting a more favorable long-term operating environment.” Medical sales accounted for about 60% of Jushi’s 2025 revenue, making this material relief.

iAnthus Capital: Revenue falls to $33.5 million
iAnthus Capital reported first-quarter revenue of $33.5 million, down $4.6 million from 2025’s first quarter. Gross margin was 47.5%, up 477 basis points from the 2025 quarter. The company did not provide a management comment in the press release.

Country farms: international export record, fourth consecutive quarter of net income
Village Farms International reported first quarter consolidated net sales of $50.2 million, up 27% year-over-year, with net income of $2.9 million and adjusted EBITDA of $9.9 million, up 118% year-over-year. International export sales increased 171% to a record $14.6 million, driven by demand for EU-GMP compliant products in Germany. Pure Sunfarms had the top Canadian market share in dried flowers for the 15th consecutive month. The company started planting the first half of its Delta 2 greenhouse expansion and expects its Phase II facility in the Netherlands to reach full capacity by the end of 2026, which would quadruple Dutch production.

Michael DeGiglio, President and CEO, said: “Our first quarter results reflect a strong start to the year and continued momentum in our largest markets, with adjusted EBITDA growth of 118% year-over-year, significantly outpacing revenue growth of 27%, driven by our international business and continued leadership in Canada.

Cronos Group: Record revenue, $822 million in cash
Cronos Group reported Q1 net income of $45.2 million, up 40% year-over-year and a record quarter, with net income of $15.7 million and adjusted EBITDA of $5.1 million. Israel led growth PEACE NATURALS grew 53% for ninth consecutive record quarter. In Canada, the Spinach brand took first place in vapes with a 9.8% share of the national market, and maintained its top spot in edibles at 20.8%. The company ended the quarter with $821.9 million in cash and authorized a new $50 million stock repurchase program. The deadline to close the acquisition of CanAdelaar, one of the ten licensed growers in the Dutch Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment, has been extended to September 9, 2026 to allow time for regulatory approvals.

Mike Gorenstein, chairman, president and CEO, said, “Cronos achieved net earnings and gross profit in the first quarter as we continue to execute against our unlimited product strategy and the additional supply from Cronos GrowCo’s expansion fuels the next phase of our growth.”

Org chart: Revenue down 9%, Sanity Group acquisition closes after quarter
Organigram Global reported fiscal second quarter net income of $59.8 million, down 9% year-over-year, with adjusted EBITDA of $0.9 million, down 82%. Lower vape and pre-infusion sales drove the decline, along with a $5.8 billion dent in the U.S. hemp business. The company achieved a record quarterly harvest of over 32,000kg at its Moncton facility, up 56% year-on-year, and launched 10 SKUs in Australia targeting over 4,000 pharmacies. At the end of the quarter, Organigram acquired Sanity Group, one of Germany’s leading cannabis companies, and updated its 2026 guidance to net revenue of more than $350 million.

James Yamanaka, CEO, said: “Q2 reflected our poor performance in vaporizers and temporary challenges in pre-infusion production, compounded by slower industry growth. We have acted quickly to address these issues, and the operational changes and product improvements we have implemented are already beginning to stabilize performance.”

Greg Guyatt, Chief Financial Officer, said: “The financial impact of the competitive and operational challenges encountered earlier in fiscal 2026 is believed to have materialized in the first half of the year, and we are now beginning to stabilize performance. We expect to resume a trajectory of margin expansion and improved profitability during the second half of the year, supported by positive revenue and international sales growth. The Sanity Group.”

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