COLUMBUS, Ohio — A year after Ohioans overwhelmingly voted to legalize recreational marijuana, lawmakers are pushing through Senate Bill 56 (SB 56), a sweeping rollback that effectively guts key provisions of the voter-approved Issue 2. The legislation, introduced by Ohio Senate Republicans, centralizes control under the Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) while increasing restrictions on licensing, home cultivation, and consumer protections.
The bill has ignited backlash from advocacy groups and voters who see it as a direct attack on democracy—an effort to dismantle what 57% of Ohio voters approved.
Lawmakers Ignore the Will of the People
SB 56 doesn’t just tweak Issue 2—it rips it apart and replaces it with a heavily regulated system that benefits state control and big business at the expense of consumers and small operators. Here’s what’s at stake:
1. Restricting Access & Small Business Growth
• Caps dispensaries at 350 statewide, limiting competition and consumer choice. Under Issue 2, dispensaries could expand based on demand.
• Eliminates Level III cultivator licenses, shutting out small businesses and new entrepreneurs.
• Raises the marijuana sales tax from 10% to 15%, increasing costs for consumers and potentially driving more sales to the illicit market.
• Gives local governments the power to ban dispensaries without voter approval, even in areas where residents supported legalization.
2. Recriminalizing Marijuana Use
• Home grow limits slashed from 12 plants per household to 6.
• Sharing homegrown marijuana becomes a crime, meaning you could be arrested for gifting a cannabis plant to a friend.
• Public use crackdown—smoking or vaping marijuana is banned outside private residences, including rental properties if landlords object.
3. Stripping Consumer and Employee Protections
• Employers can fire workers for legal marijuana use, even if it’s consumed off the clock.
• Marijuana users can be denied unemployment benefits if fired for testing positive.
• State agencies and courts no longer have to respect voter-approved protections, opening the door for more discrimination against cannabis users.
4. Expanding Law Enforcement Oversight
• Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) granted increased power to police marijuana businesses and consumers.
• Strict transport laws require marijuana to be stored in inaccessible areas, such as the trunk of a vehicle.
• Immediate dispensary shutdowns for selling to underage individuals—harsher penalties than what liquor stores face for underage alcohol sales.
5. Killing Market Competition & Social Equity Efforts
• Repeals the Cannabis Social Equity and Jobs Program, which helped minority-owned businesses enter the legal market.
• Eliminates licensing priority for disadvantaged groups, making it harder for small businesses to compete.
• Heavy marketing restrictions, including bans on advertisements that depict marijuana use or promote cannabis as an intoxicant.
Advocates Call SB 56 a Direct Attack on Democracy
Marijuana advocacy groups, including NORML Ohio, are calling the bill a “slap in the face” to Ohio voters.
“We’ve been through this before. Just days after Ohioans voted to legalize marijuana, lawmakers tried to gut the law. That effort failed because thousands of voters made their voices heard,” NORML stated in an action alert.
The group is urging Ohioans to mobilize again, warning that the bill is being fast-tracked and could reach the Senate floor in a matter of weeks.
Public Reaction: “They Think We Didn’t Know What We Were Voting For”
The Guardian spoke with several registered voters who see the GOP-led effort to gut marijuana rights as part of a broader assault on democracy.
“This is a clear and present danger. They’re trying to overrule the majority of Ohioans who supported Issue 2,” one Columbus voter said. “They think we didn’t know what we were voting for. But we did. And we’re not going to let them get away with it.”
Another voter added, “First, they ignore the vote. Then they rewrite the rules. This isn’t about safety. It’s about power and control.”
With SB 56 advancing rapidly, the battle over Ohio’s marijuana laws isn’t over—and the fight to protect voter-approved legalization is just getting started.