Ohio, the one new US adult-use hashish market to launch in 2024, is now a step nearer to being curbed by the states Republican lawmakers.
Simply months after Ohio’s adult-use market launched in earnest in August 2024, Senate Invoice 56 has been handed by the state Senate to the Home for additional debate.
Regardless of Ohian’s expressing voting overwhelmingly in favour of hashish legalization in November 2023, the GOP-dominated senate has been making an attempt to roll again the measures ever since.
SB 56, spearheaded by Sen. Steve Huffman seeks to lowering the allowable THC content material in extracts from 90% to 70%, cap homegrown crops at six as a substitute of twelve, and set a statewide dispensary restrict of 350 licenses.
Ohioans would even be prevented from consuming hashish in public, and removes protections for employees being fired for consuming hashish.
The invoice would additionally cease a key funding mechanism meant to assist traditionally marginalized communities enter the hashish trade. Beneath the voter-approved legislation, a portion of hashish tax income was designated for a social fairness fund to help dispensary licensing for underrepresented teams.
This funding could be frozen till lawmakers determine on a brand new vacation spot for the money, doubtlessly eradicating help for small, minority-owned hashish companies altogether.
Huffman has been making an attempt to roll again the reform since 2023, seeing the same invoice clear the Chamber the day earlier than hashish was legalized.
He argues that voters weren’t totally conscious of what they had been voting for once they permitted hashish, and that the regression is critical for public security.
Democratic Sen. Invoice DeMora referred to as the invoice a direct assault on the voters’ determination, whereas different trade advocates have referred to as it ‘a stolen alternative’ which might decimate the younger market.
SB 56 now heads to the Ohio Home, the place Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) has indicated that representatives will draft their very own model of hashish reforms.
