Ohio: Don’t Allow Lawmakers to Repeal and Replace Marijuana Legalization Law (House Bill 160)

Following the lead of Senate lawmakers, House lawmakers have introduced their own bill to significantly undermine Ohio’s voter-approved legalization law. Like SB 56, this new bill — House Bill 160 — rescinds numerous consumer protections and creates new marijuana-related crimes for activities that the majority of Ohioans believe ought to be legal.

Specifically, HB 160 creates new crimes for those who share home-cultivated cannabis with others adult consumers or who purchase legal cannabis products in other states and bring them back to Ohio. The proposal also imposes THC potency limits on cannabis products and sets an arbitrary cap on the total number of licensed retailers permitted in the state, among other changes.

Let’s be clear: both SB 56 and HB 160 represent a slap in the face to the 57 percent of Ohio voters who approved Issue 2. Ohio lawmakers had years to craft legislation regulating the state’s adult use marijuana market. They chose not to do so, instead leaving the decision up to the electorate. Legislators do not have the right to play Monday morning quarterback now simply because most Ohioans voted in a way they disapproved.

Over 17,000 of you have already taken action and urged lawmakers to reject SB 56, which is also now currently pending before House lawmakers. We now need you to similarly mobilize against HB 160.

Please use NORML’s prewritten letter and tell your lawmakers to reject HB 160.