Ohio Lawmakers Weighing New Hemp Regulations in Wake of Court’s Halt on DeWine’s Ban

Ohio lawmakers appear poised to take a step toward legislative action on intoxicating hemp products this week following Gov. Mike DeWine’s attempt to ban sales through an executive order.

The House Judiciary Committee approved a substitute version of Senate Bill 56 on Tuesday after years of testimony and debate, sending the measure toward a potential House floor vote as soon as Wednesday.

The legislative move comes after Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Carl Aveni issued a temporary restraining order Oct. 16 blocking DeWine’s ban, which the governor signed the previous week. Aveni said that he was concerned that the governor was creating “new definitions” about what constitutes intoxicating hemp that don’t exist in state law. Since the legalization of recreational marijuana, a wide variety of hemp products containing low levels of THC — including candy, gummies, chocolate and drinks — have appeared at retailers throughout the state. DeWine has consistently pushed the General Assembly to enact restrictions on both hemp and marijuana products, but lawmakers have been unable to reach consensus on permanent legislation.