What Do New Ohio Restrictions On Marijuana And Hemp Mean For Consumers And Businesses?

Key Points:

• Ohio has reinstated restrictions on recreational cannabis, making it illegal to bring any recreational-use cannabis products into the state, even if legally purchased elsewhere, effective March 20, 2024.
• New laws prohibit smoking or vaping cannabis in public places and require recreational and medical marijuana products to be stored in original packaging, with opened products kept out of driver reach in vehicles.
• The THC potency limit for extracts has been reduced from 90% to 70%, while the limit for plants remains at 35%, and edibles resembling characters or items appealing to children are now banned.
• Sharing marijuana remains legal only at private residences or agricultural spaces, with strict quantity limits, and home cultivation is still allowed but exceeding plant limits carries criminal penalties.
• The law eliminates a social equity and jobs fund from cannabis tax revenue, redirecting funds primarily to cities with dispensaries and the state’s general fund, while workers fired for cannabis policy violations lose eligibility for unemployment benefits.