DeMora Issues Statement Following Passage of Marijuana Overhaul Bill

Today, state Senator Bill DeMora (D-Columbus) issued the following statement after the Ohio Senate voted to accept conference committee changes to Senate Bill 56, which significantly changes the state’s adult-use cannabis program and directly undermines the will of Ohio voters, who established Ohio’s recreational marijuana industry by passing State Issue 2 in 2023. 

“This totalitarian bill completely guts the will of the voters, who loudly and clearly said that they want marijuana to be regulated just like alcohol and tobacco,” said DeMora. “It is absolutely ludicrous that the majority party is comfortable passing a bill that recriminalizes marijuana, legalizes discrimination against marijuana users, and guts the potency and home grow provisions of Issue 2, all while claiming they are representing the people. They may think they know better than Ohioans, but don’t be surprised when they are proven wrong on election night.”

S.B. 56 drastically alters key provisions of the recreational marijuana law passed by voters in 2023 and re-criminalizes conduct voters chose to legalize. The bill will:

• Impose stricter limits on THC by reducing current allowable limits;
• Make it easier to characterize adult-to-adult transfers as illegal trafficking, thus restricting the ability to share cannabis with another adult;
• Give the Division of Cannabis Control the ability to make formerly legal paraphernalia criminal;
• Criminalize the possession and use of out-of-state cannabis, making lawful travelers newly subject to prosecution;
• Expand the authority for landlords to prohibit cannabis consumption and home cultivation;
• Roll back protections against adverse actions in housing, employment, and other areas; and 
• Reduce the number of individuals who may have their records expunged for prior marijuana-possession offenses.

S.B. 56 now heads to the governor for his signature.