Ohio Senate Republicans Target Big Changes To Voter-Approved Cannabis Rules

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Senate Republicans want to scale back Ohio’s voter-backed recreational marijuana program–cutting home grow limits, raising taxes, lowering potency and shifting revenue away from social equity programs.

“It’s not to do away with the ballot initiative,” said state Sen. Steve Huffman, a Tipp City Republican. “It’s to work around the edges to make it better.”

“There is definitely bipartisan support for protections in marketing to keep kids safe and sensible limitations on where you can use cannabis,” said state Sen. Casey Weinstein, a Hudson Democrat.

What he and other Democrats can’t support is slashing home grow limits and regulating where people smoke on their own property.

“Are we basically saying to the voters, ‘Screw you, you don’t know what you’re talking about?’” Columbus Democratic state Sen. Bill DeMora said in a Wednesday committee hearing.

Ohio has had medical marijuana for years, but state Issue 2 legalized recreational marijuana in November 2023. It passed with 57% of the vote and in traditionally conservative counties like Butler, Medina and Ashtabula.

Passing it as a state law gave lawmakers wide latitude to change it, but the broad support it got led GOP leaders in the House to reject similar restrictions from the state Senate in December 2023.

Things are different now.

“There is definitely bipartisan support for protections in marketing to keep kids safe and sensible limitations on where you can use cannabis,” said state Sen. Casey Weinstein, a Hudson Democrat.

What he and other Democrats can’t support is slashing home grow limits and regulating where people smoke on their own property.

“Are we basically saying to the voters, ‘Screw you, you don’t know what you’re talking about?’” Columbus Democratic state Sen. Bill DeMora said in a Wednesday committee hearing.