BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—As the Bucyrus City Council prepares to pass legislation allowing for the creation of businesses offering the sales of medical and recreational marijuana, the Ohio Senate is proposing changes to the laws voted into effect in 2023.

The Ohio Senate passed a controversial bill on Wednesday that proposes significant revisions to the state’s marijuana law. Senate Bill 56, passed by a 23-9 party-line vote, aims to reduce allowable THC levels, limit home cultivation, and prohibit the transport of marijuana across state lines.

The bill’s author, State Senator Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City), stated, “Senate Bill 56 is a great bill because it’s reasonably appropriate. It cuts down on the illicit marijuana market and is truly about the protection and safety of children.” Key provisions of the bill include:

  • Reducing the number of home-grown plants from 12 to 6.
  • Lowering the maximum THC levels in adult-use marijuana extracts from 90% to 70%.
  • Mandating that marijuana use be confined to private residences.

Huffman argued that the current limit allows for excessive production, claiming, “You can get 600 joints a year out of the plant. That seems like an excessive amount.”

The bill also includes a provision allowing individuals previously convicted of possessing 2.5 ounces of marijuana before the new law took effect to apply for expungement, although applicants must pay a $50 filing fee. State Senator Willis E. Blackshear Jr. (D-Dayton) criticized this requirement, stating, “We are moving forward with a lackluster method that forces individuals to pay for their own expungement.”

Other notable changes proposed by S.B. 56 include combining the state’s medical and recreational marijuana programs under the Division of Cannabis Control, requiring marijuana to be transported in the trunk of a vehicle, and capping the number of active dispensaries at 350. The bill would also make it illegal for Ohioans to purchase marijuana from out-of-state sources, such as Michigan.

“A no vote on Senate Bill 56 is a vote that will endanger Ohio’s children,” asserted State Senator Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson).

The bill has faced opposition from Democrats, who argue that it undermines the will of the voters who passed the recreational marijuana law by a significant margin in 2023. “This bill goes against the will of the voters,” said State Senator Bill DeMora (D). “We’re not trying to take away the rights of people by making lots of things that are legal today illegal should this bill become law.”

Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) defended the bill, stating that the changes are “very reasonable in nature” and do not alter access to licensed dispensaries. However, Democrats, including Minority Senate Leader Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood), expressed concerns over the bill’s restrictions, particularly the limitation on where marijuana can be used. “To lock people in their homes and say that’s the only place they can smoke, I don’t think that’s what the voters intended,” she said.

While S.B. 56 initially included a tax increase on adult-use marijuana, that provision was removed during committee discussions. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s proposed budget, currently under consideration, seeks to raise the marijuana tax from 10% to 20%.

As the bill moves to the Ohio House for consideration, it continues to spark debate over the future of marijuana regulation in the state.