Three Ohio House lawmakers said Wednesday the chamber is close to consensus on changes to cannabis law, which are poised to pass before the legislature breaks for the summer.
The newest version of 鈥攎odifying state marijuana laws鈥攕till puts limits on how potent THC products can be. Amendments rolled out Wednesday morning, however, would permit Ohioans to share products. And although SB 56 limits consumers to partaking at private homes, the public smoking ban now has one notable exception: certain outdoor concerts.
鈥淗ypothetically, I鈥檝e seen people pass a marijuana cigarette at a concert,鈥� state Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord) said in an interview Wednesday. 鈥淭hose people are not criminals and shouldn鈥檛 be considered criminals, and so that, to me, was a huge thing. If you go to a Grateful Dead concert, you shouldn鈥檛 have to look over your shoulder when you鈥檙e passing a joint.鈥�
Callender, a longtime legalization advocate, said he is closer to getting behind the changes in SB 56, which he believes 鈥渋s absolutely the best that we have seen in the 18 months we鈥檝e been trading jabs at each other.鈥�
A spokesperson for the Ohio Cannabis Coalition wrote in an email the industry association was 鈥渆ncouraged by the direction (SB 56) takes.鈥�
Lawmakers have gone back and forth over modifying the recreational marijuana law since it became legal for Ohioans 21 and older in December 2023. State Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) said House and Senate negotiations have regained momentum.
鈥淲hether that鈥檚 having a product that comes out of the House that the Senate feels like they can concur on, or whether that鈥檚 something that maybe there鈥檚 a few outstanding items that they can鈥檛 concur on and we do a short conference committee, I think either way, we鈥檙e on track to get this done,鈥� Stewart said in an interview Wednesday.
SB 56 still restructures what鈥檚 known as the Host Community Cannabis Fund, set aside for municipalities with marijuana dispensaries. At 36%, more than a third of tax revenue from the state鈥檚 relatively young recreational program was earmarked for the fund. This would pare it back to 25%, and then eliminate it after seven years.
Lawmakers on the House Judiciary committee also folded into SB 56, which strictly limits where Ohioans can purchase most products containing cannabinoid derivatives, like delta-8 THC.
Those added provisions would put intoxicating products behind dispensaries鈥� counters, if the products have undergone testing, and bans sale of them otherwise. It carves out CBD-infused drinks, allowing retailers with a liquor license to sell them.
The Senate Judiciary committee could vote as soon as next week.
