Flowers of hemp plants that contain less that 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the primary psychoactive substance in marijuana, to be used for student instruction at the Cleveland School of Cannabis, October 30, 2023, in Independence, Ohio.
Ohio CBD store owners are concerned about a bill that would regulate intoxicating hemp and drinkable cannabinoid products — something that could potentially put them out of business.
Fourteen people submitted opponent testimony and four people submitted supporter testimony for Ohio Senate Bill 86 during Tuesday’s Senate General Government Committee meeting. No supporters showed up at the meeting to testify in person.
“Should these restrictions pass, they would eliminate 90% of the non-intoxicating full-spectrum hemp products we currently offer,” said Jaimee Courtney, owner of Bellefontaine’s Sunmed | Your CBD Store. “This would drive consumers to unregulated online markets, creating potential safety risks and diverting significant tax revenue out of Ohio.”
The bill would require intoxicating hemp products to only be sold at adult-use marijuana dispensaries instead of allowing them to be sold at CBD stores, convenience stores, smoke shops, or gas stations.
The bill would also impose a 15% tax on intoxicating hemp products, ban sales to anyone under 21, and would only allow intoxicating hemp products to be sold at dispensaries if the products have been tested and comply with standards for packaging, labeling, and advertising.
Ohio state Sens. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, and Shane Wilkin, R-Hillsboro, introduced S.B. 86. Eleven people submitted testimony in support of the bill last week — including people in the marijuana business, poison control workers, and religious organizations.
“The people walking into our stores are not looking to get high, they are looking for relief,” said Robert McClure, owner of Centerville and Deerfield Township’s SUNMED | Your CBD Store. “Most of our customers will not go to a dispensary for a multitude of reasons.”
He said his store requires customers to be at least 21 years old to buy their products, which are all third-party tested.
“We have concerns that the language in S.B. 86 would ban most of all other types of hemp products from retail sales and driving them to an unsafe, illicit environment with no age restrictions,” said Kristin Mullins, president of the Ohio Grocers Association.
Instead, she wants lawmakers to enforce age-restrictions, ensure product labeling and require testing procedures.
“Bad actors exist, but responsible businesses outnumber them,” said family physician Dr. Bridget Cole Williams. “If this legislation passes, it will harm reputable businesses while failing to address real concerns. Limitation doesn’t solve the problem; it merely creates a space for an illicit market to grow.”
Jim Higdon, co-founder of Cornbread Hemp in Kentucky, agrees with the age restrictions and regulations regarding consumer safety, but has issues with other parts of the bill.
“The strict caps proposed by S.B. 86 would eliminate all effective hemp products for Ohioans looking for natural product supplements to support their legitimate wellness needs,” he said.
Cornbread Hemp sells its products in more than 30 Ohio retail stores, including 10 Fresh Thyme Market locations.
“The customers at these stores tend to be older adults with expendable incomes, not teenagers looking for a cheap, unregulated high,” Higdon said.
The 2018 U.S. Farm Bill says hemp can be legally grown if it contains less than 0.3% THC. Ohio is one of about 20 states that does have any regulations around intoxicating hemp products, according to an Ohio State University Drug Enforcement and Policy Center study from November 2024.
H/T: www.clevescene.com
