Ohioans in the marijuana business, poison control workers, and religious organizations testified Tuesday in support of a bill that would regulate intoxicating hemp and drinkable cannabinoid products.
Ohio Senate Bill 86 would require intoxicating hemp products to only be sold at adult-use dispensaries instead of allowing them to be sold at convenience stores, smoke shops, or gas stations. The bill would also impose a 15% tax on intoxicating hemp products and ban sales to anyone under 21.
"Ohio's legal cannabis industry is facing a growing crisis," said Joshua Smith, the owner of Southern Ohio Botanicals, a licensed dispensary in Pike County. "Fake, pop-up, poser dispensaries are exploiting loopholes in hemp laws to sell legitimate cannabis while misleading consumers into believing they are licensed establishments."
Eleven people, including Smith, submitted testimony in support of S.B. 86 during Tuesday's Ohio Senate General Government Committee meeting.
Read more at Ohio Capital Journal