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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio is once again at the center of a high-stakes fight over marijuana legalization. Just over a year after voters approved adult-use cannabis, Senate Bill 56, introduced by Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, is poised to radically reshape the state’s marijuana laws. Supporters say the bill is about efficiency and safety, but cannabis advocates argue it’s a blatant rollback of what voters approved.
“This bill is about government efficiency, consumer and child safety, and maintaining access to voter-approved adult-use marijuana,” Huffman said in his sponsor testimony last week.
But critics say the bill does more than just streamline regulations—it guts Ohio’s cannabis law.
What’s in the Bill?
If passed, SB 56 would wipe out most of the existing Cannabis Control Law, merging regulations for medical and adult-use marijuana into a single system under the new Marijuana Control Law. Among its biggest changes:
Increases the excise tax on weed sales from 10% to 15%—with all revenue funneled into the General Revenue Fund (GRF) instead of being allocated to community reinvestment programs, substance abuse treatment, or municipalities where dispensaries operate.
Slashes home grow rights, cutting the number of plants allowed per residence from 12 to 6 and banning the transfer of homegrown weed—meaning Ohioans can’t even give a plant to a friend.
Ends the state’s Cannabis Social Equity and Jobs Program, a fund designed to help communities disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs enter the industry.
Caps dispensary licenses at 350 statewide and bans new licenses within half a mile of another dispensary—a move critics say protects large corporations while shutting out smaller businesses.
Reduces THC limits on extracts from 90% to 70% and bans dispensaries from selling adult-use weed in products shaped like animals, fruits, or cartoons—which lawmakers argue could attract kids.
Expands local government control, allowing cities and townships to ban dispensaries, cultivators, and processors more easily.
Repeals workplace protections for cannabis users—making it easier for employers to fire workers who legally use marijuana off the clock.
Bans marketing weed with imagery aimed at young people (think cartoon mascots or “stoner” branding).
For cannabis advocates, it’s a gut punch.
“This proposed legislation is a direct slap in the face to Ohio’s voters,” said a statement from cannabis advocacy groups, who have not yet given testimony in the Senate hearings.
The Bigger Picture: A GOP Rollback on Legal Weed?
Ohioans legalized recreational marijuana in 2023 with a ballot initiative that passed with 57% of the vote—making it one of the latest Midwestern states to embrace legalization. Sales launched in August 2024, and by the end of the year, Ohio’s legal cannabis market was generating millions in tax revenue.
But almost immediately, Republican lawmakers began pushing back, arguing that the law was too permissive. Huffman’s SB 56 is the biggest attempt yet to reshape Ohio’s marijuana market through the legislature rather than a public vote.
Huffman doubled down on tax hikes, saying:
“Much like what our chamber previously supported, SB 56 increases the excise tax on adult-use marijuana sales from 10 to 15%, but with revenue flowing to the GRF. The current 10% tax included in the initiated statute is among the lowest adult-use marijuana tax rates in the country and does not cover the societal costs of this newly legalized drug.”
Many lawmakers believe voters were misled about the consequences of full legalization.
But for cannabis businesses and consumers, the bill feels like a bait-and-switch. The version of legalization they fought for is being rewritten behind closed doors—with no new input from voters.
A “Public Safety” Push? The Poison Control Argument
One of the strongest pro-SB 56 arguments comes from Ohio’s Poison Control Centers, which cite a sharp increase in child cannabis poisonings since legalization.
Dr. Hannah Hays, a toxicology expert who testified in support of SB 56, said the number of accidental poisonings reported to Ohio Poison Centers jumped 317% since cannabis products became widely available.
“In children under 6 years, exposures have increased over 350%. When children access these products, they can experience severe symptoms including hallucinations, confusion, loss of consciousness, and respiratory failure,” Hays said.
Her biggest concern? Edibles.
A study analyzing over 5,000 pediatric exposures to THC-infused products found that over 95% of cases involving kids under 6 were due to ingested edibles. According to Hays, many children consume large doses before anyone realizes what’s happening—and often end up in ICU-level care.
This has become a major talking point for SB 56 supporters, who argue that reducing THC potency and banning child-friendly edible designs could prevent these incidents.
But cannabis advocates push back, pointing out that:
Many of these products were illegal hemp-derived THC—not state-regulated marijuana.
Legal dispensaries already follow strict packaging rules to keep cannabis out of kids’ hands.
Alcohol poisoning in children remains more common, yet there’s no similar push for tighter liquor laws.
What’s Next?
Right now, SB 56 is in the General Government Committee, with a first hearing already held on January 29, 2025. Several business leaders and law enforcement groups testified in favor, including the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association.
But no marijuana advocates have testified yet.
That’s expected to change in the coming weeks, as cannabis companies, patients, and activists mobilize against the bill. If SB 56 gains traction, expect protests, lawsuits, and a potential 2026 ballot fight to undo any rollbacks.
For now, Ohio’s cannabis future is in flux—and the battle over who really controls the state’s weed laws is just heating up.
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