Recreational cannabis is legal in some capacities, but Ohioans cannot yet buy it.
In November 2023, voters in Ohio approved Issue 2 with a 57% majority, making the possession and cultivation of cannabis for recreational purposes legal in the state starting in December (1,2). Soon after the voter-initiated measure passed, the Senate approved HB 86 with a bipartisan vote, which proposed several changes to the law (1). The major changes included: for adults ages 21 and older, the number of plants grown at home per household would change from 12 to six, the tax for each cannabis product transaction would change from 10% to 15%, and dispensary sales could begin immediately rather than within nine months (1). Also added was an automatic expungement of convictions for possession of 2.5 ounces or less of cannabis and changing the maximum tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels from 90% to 50% for extracts (1).
“We felt it was important to allow for immediate use because that’s a protection against the black market,” Senator Rob McColley said (1). “It’s frankly also a way to help Ohioans who voted for this allow to have safe, reliable access earlier than later.” The governor of Ohio, Mike DeWine, also shared the concern for the possible proliferation of unsafe products in an unregulated market (3).
The House adjourned in December without addressing the bill, which raised concerns over the status of cannabis over the next year (4). According to House Speaker Jason Stephens, the three main points to address in the proposed bill concern where cannabis can be used, licenses, and revenue distribution (4). “When you think about all three of those components, to do those quickly but also respecting what the will of the voter is, it’s not something that can be done very quickly in my opinion, but to be done correctly,” Stephens said (4).
Both the House and Senate will begin to hold meetings again in January 2024 (4).
References
Unlock the latest breakthroughs in cannabis science—subscribe now to get expert insights, research, and industry updates delivered to your inbox.
Best of the Week: July 4 – July 10, 2025
July 11th 2025Here, we bring you our top five recent articles covering revoking medical cannabis cards in Florida, testing and sampling initiative in Missouri, our mid-year regulations roundup, depenalization ordinance stopped in Texas, and accuracy in THC labeling in flower versus concentrates.
Best of the Week: June 27 – July 03, 2025
July 4th 2025Here, we bring you our top five recent articles covering cannabis on state-tribal cannabis regulations in Montana, our podcast discussion on cannabis cultivation, our blog on compliance with federal regulations, public commentary on new standards, and hemp packaging enforcement in Florida.
Best of the Week: June 13 – June 19, 2025
June 20th 2025Here, we bring you our top five recent articles covering medical cannabis in Hawaii, a new dispensary in Connecticut, pesticide testing in California, a cease-and-desist letter to a dispensary on Long Island, and a global survey on cannabis for endometriosis.
Best of the Week: June 6 – June 12, 2025
June 13th 2025Here, we bring you our top five recent articles covering safety regulations in North Carolina, licenses in Minnesota, the FDA’s FY2026 Agriculture appropriations bill, cannabis taxes in California, and antifungal properties of CBD and CBDV.