Ohio Advocates Announce Campaign to Undo Recent Hemp and Cannabis Reforms

Advocates in Ohio are planning a citizen referendum to roll back the sweeping cannabis and hemp reforms recently signed into law by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, Cleveland.com reports. Dennis Willard, a spokesperson for Ohioans for Cannabis Choice, which is leading the effort, told Cleveland.com that the hemp and cannabis reform legislation “forcefully defies the will of the voters of Ohio” who legalized cannabis for adult use in 2023.   

“We are launching a referendum campaign to go directly to the voters. We believe voters will say no to government overreach, no to closing 6,000 small businesses and pink-slipping thousands of workers across the state, and no to once again recriminalizing hemp and marijuana.” — Willard to Cleveland.com 

Ohioans for Cannabis Choice must first file with Secretary of State Frank LaRose at least 1,000 valid signatures from registered Ohio voters to begin the process. Those signatures must be verified by LaRose’s office, which will then certify the petition. Petitioners must then gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot – a total equal to 6% of the votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election, or about 250,000 signatures, which must come from at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties. 

The bill targeted by the campaign outlaws all intoxicating hemp products in the state and criminalizes the possession of adult-use cannabis products obtained out of state. It is set to take effect in March, 90 days after it was signed into law by DeWine.