Ohio voters made their voices heard when they overwhelmingly passed Issue 2, legalizing recreational cannabis for adults aged 21 and older. This historic vote signified a shift toward common-sense cannabis laws, economic growth, and criminal justice reform. However, Senate Bill 56 is a direct attempt to weaken and undermine the will of Ohio voters by rolling back key provisions of the newly legalized cannabis industry.

If passed, SB 56 will introduce unnecessary restrictions that negatively impact both consumers and businesses, including:

1. Restricting Personal Cultivation Rights

Under Issue 2, Ohioans were allowed to cultivate up to 12 cannabis plants per household for personal use.

SB 56 seeks to cut this in half, limiting households to just 6 plants—regardless of the number of adults living in the home.

This unfairly restricts personal freedom and disproportionately affects medical cannabis users who rely on home cultivation for affordable, safe access.

2. Limiting THC Potency

The bill proposes arbitrary THC caps, reducing the maximum THC level to 35% for flower and 70% for concentrates.

These limits ignore scientific research and consumer needs, restricting product effectiveness while driving consumers toward unregulated, illicit markets.

States with arbitrary THC limits have seen higher illicit sales and increased safety concerns due to unregulated product use.

3. Raising Cannabis Taxes & Redirecting Funds

Issue 2 set a 10% excise tax on recreational cannabis, ensuring tax revenue was distributed fairly among local governments, addiction treatment programs, and social equity funds.

SB 56 proposes raising the tax to 15%, making legal cannabis less affordable for consumers.

Worse, it would redirect funds away from community-focused programs and into the state’s general fund, which lacks transparency on how the money will be used.

4. Expanding Criminalization & Public Use Penalties

The bill strengthens restrictions on public cannabis consumption, increasing penalties for violations.

Instead of focusing on reasonable public-use policies, it promotes further criminalization, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.

This contradicts the goal of reducing cannabis-related arrests, which was a key reason many Ohioans supported legalization.

Why This Matters

Ohio voters approved cannabis legalization to create a regulated, safe, and fair market—not to have lawmakers rewrite the rules without public input. SB 56 is a step backward, prioritizing political agendas over voter rights and economic opportunity.

If passed, this bill could:

• Harm small cannabis businesses by increasing regulatory burdens.
• Encourage illicit market sales by making legal cannabis less accessible and more expensive.
• Reduce tax benefits for local communities by diverting revenue into the general fund.
• Threaten patient access to effective, high-quality cannabis products.

Take Action: Sign & Share!

We must send a clear message to Ohio legislators: RESPECT THE VOTERS. STOP SB 56.

By signing this petition, you are:

• Standing up for consumer rights and fair cannabis laws.
• Supporting a thriving legal cannabis industry in Ohio.
• Opposing unnecessary restrictions that hurt Ohioans.

📢 Sign and share this petition today! Together, we can protect the rights we voted for and ensure Ohio's cannabis laws remain fair, transparent, and voter-driven.