VOICES: SB 56 a slap in the face to Ohioans who voted for legal adult-use cannabis

Ideas & Voices originally posted in the Dayton Daily News written by Willis E. Blackshear Jr.

In November 2023, the voters of Ohio made their voices loud and clear: they support adult-use marijuana. The measure passed by a decisive 57.2% to 42.8%, demonstrating that a majority of voters want a well-regulated cannabis industry in the state. Notably, voters passed the measure as an initiated statute so that legislators could make common-sense changes over the years to ensure that the implementation goes well.

Senate Bill 56, however, does no such thing. Instead, it makes line-by-line changes designed to weaken the cannabis business community out of contempt for individuals who use marijuana. Instead of respecting the will of the voters, this bill imposes unnecessary and unpopular restrictions that will hurt small businesses, cost jobs, and create barriers to justice for those seeking expungement.

One of the most troubling aspects of Senate Bill 56 is its impact on Ohio’s small businesses and workers. During General Government Committee, of which I am the ranking member, we heard directly from a number of small business owners who spoke at length about the multitude of ways Senate Bill 56 would negatively impact their businesses. From changing THC levels to imposing significant restrictions on the maximum amount of THC per serving and per package, this bill makes changes without justifications. S.B. 56 also eliminates level 3 cultivator licenses and dramatically reduces the square footage allowed for cultivation spaces.

These unnecessary restrictions will stifle small businesses that have already invested in building their operations and workforce under the current law. These changes hurt businesses, especially small businesses, in our communities – businesses that create jobs and generate tax revenue for our state and local governments. By disrupting this industry with unfounded regulations, we will hurt our local and state economies. Ohioans will suffer as a direct result of this bill’s passage.

Adults 21and older can buy cannabis for recreational usewhetherin the form of flower, gummies, chocolate bars, vapes or other productsfrom dispensaries in the Dayton area. AYR Dispensary in east Dayton was among the first cannabis businesses to open their doors to recreational customers in August 2024.