Cannabis advocates in Ohio are expressing frustration with state lawmakers for pushing legislation to modify the state’s marijuana laws. Since voters approved a measure to legalize recreational cannabis in November 2023, GOP leaders have been working to impose more restrictive policies.
In late February, Ohio Senate Republicans passed a measure that would significantly alter the state’s cannabis policy. Some of the most notable changes include limiting the number of plants that eligible adults can grow at home and reducing the amount of THC allowed in cannabis products.
The bill would also change how Ohio allocates tax revenue from cannabis sales and introduce several new cannabis-related criminal penalties. Another version of the bill is currently under consideration in the Ohio House.
While the Senate bill’s author Sen. Steve Huffman argues that the measure is designed to curb the illicit cannabis market and prevent youth drug use, advocates say the proposed changes are a “slap in the face” to Ohio voters who approved the original legalization measure without modifications.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) recently hosted a webinar to discuss the two measures. NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano emphasized that the issue is not whether cannabis should be legal but rather that “elections have consequences” and that their results “should matter.”
Advocates are particularly frustrated because the 2023 recreational cannabis measure was citizen-initiated. According to Armentano, Ohio lawmakers had years to pursue cannabis reform and establish a recreational market but failed to do so, ultimately leaving the decision “in the hands of the electorate.”
He added that NORML is working to ensure that policymakers in Ohio and other states respect the will of their voters. However, since Ohio’s recreational cannabis bill was citizen-initiated, lawmakers have the authority to amend it. As of this writing, GOP lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 56 introduced by Sen. Huffman, and House Bill 169, introduced by Rep. Brian Stewart, both of which seek to restrict Ohio’s emerging recreational cannabis industry.
Both measures would lower allowable THC levels, loosen or eliminate social equity provisions, and cap the number of cannabis dispensaries statewide at 350. The Senate bill appears to be more restrictive than its House counterpart, as it would also cut the number of cannabis plants that adults can grow at home by 50%.
NORML Political Director Morgan Fox argues that attempting to change Ohio’s recreational cannabis laws so soon after their passage is premature, especially since there have been no significant public complaints. Similarly, Armentano notes that Ohio’s current adult-use cannabis policies are working “just fine” and that Ohioans are satisfied with the law.
The steps being taken by Ohio lawmakers to potentially go against what voters decided during elections could roll back the chances of a vibrant ecosystem mushrooming around the marijuana industry, including companies similar to Innovative Industrial Properties Inc. (NYSE: IIPR), that would have emerged to serve different verticals and niches after marijuana legalization.
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