Ohio’s cannabis industry has seen rapid expansion since voters approved adult-use legalization in 2023. Licensed dispensaries began serving consumers in 2024, but now lawmakers are moving to tighten regulations, introducing new bills that could reshape how cannabis is grown, sold, and consumed.
Two key pieces of legislation—Senate Bill 56 and Senate Bill 86—are currently under debate in the Ohio Senate. These bills propose new restrictions on home cultivation, public consumption, THC potency, and the sale of hemp-derived intoxicants, signaling a more controlled and regulated market.
Senate Bill 56: Stricter Rules on Cultivation, Consumption, and THC Limits
The Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 56 on February 26, 2025, introducing significant changes that could impact both consumers and businesses. The bill focuses on tightening personal cultivation rules, enforcing public consumption bans, and capping THC potency in cannabis products.