CENTERVILLE, Ohio (WKEF) — The Ohio cannabis industry is facing uncertainty as Senate Bill 56, which introduces new regulations on cannabis and intoxicating hemp products, has sparked controversy and legal challenges. The bill, signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine earlier this month, aims to prevent sales to minors and restrict operations to licensed medical dispensaries. However, local business owners like Chris Brown, owner of JJBCBD Wellness in Centerville, argue that the state is overreaching. Brown said, “It is very tiresome and frustrating. For me, there are times where I just think, ‘maybe I should just open something else,’ because it is just such a hassle.”
Brown’s store primarily serves elderly customers who prefer not to visit medical dispensaries. “I have people in positions where they pick up sleeping gummies, but they don’t want to go to a medical facility,” Brown explained. “They like being able to come to the local store and pick up their CBD or whatever they need.”
In response to the new law, multiple advocacy groups have filed a temporary restraining order against the state, seeking to re-evaluate the bill’s legal merits. A hearing is scheduled for January 2026. Additionally, the Ohioans for Cannabis Choice group filed a petition opposing the regulations, warning that as many as 6,000 small businesses could be forced to close. Wesley Bryant, owner of 420 Craft Beverages and a petitioner, stated, “We’re saying no to SB 56 because it re-criminalizes the Cannabis industry. SB 56 is a slap in the face to voters who overwhelmingly voted to legalize cannabis in 2023.”…