Kelley Ebert founded Thrive Hive CBD & Wellness after watching her father suffer from Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s. As he struggled through the side effects of prescription medications, she kept thinking: there must be a better way. She knew natural products like full-spectrum CBD and hemp-derived THC could have eased his pain—without the harsh side effects.

As a mother of four and a lifelong Ohioan, she wasn’t just starting a business. She was building a bridge between plant-based wellness and the community she loves. Thrive Hive, along with numerous other Ohio CBD wellness shops, have served thousands of adults seeking relief from pain, anxiety, sleep issues, and stress—offering alternatives to pharmaceuticals in a safe, educated, and compliant environment.

Now, Senate Bill 86 (SB 86) threatens to wipe all of that out. This bill would ban the sale of hemp-derived THC outside of licensed dispensaries, effectively shutting down small wellness shops like Kelley’s and handing a monopoly to a handful of wealthy dispensary owners. It’s not about protecting families. It’s about protecting profits.

Kelley’s business—and many others in Ohio—already:

• Require ID for all sales
• Enforce 21+ age restrictions 
• Use third-party lab testing
• Offer childproof packaging
• Provide education over hype

SB 86 ignores all of this. Instead of encouraging responsible regulation, it punishes compliant small businesses and drives consumers toward unregulated online markets or out-of-state options, where safety is far less guaranteed.

Let’s look at the facts:

• Hemp-derived THC is federally legal under the 2018 Farm Bill.
• The CDC reports cannabis-related ER visits among youth are lower than those involving alcohol, opioids, or prescription drugs.
• Over 100,000 Americans die each year from prescription drug overdoses—yet those remain widely accessible.
• According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, youth cannabis use has not significantly increased in states that have legalized it. In some cases, it’s even declined.
• The CDC confirms that childhood obesity, pharmaceutical overuse, and environmental toxins are greater threats to youth than products sold responsibly by wellness retailers.

Ohio is currently one of 20 states without regulatory oversight for intoxicating hemp products. That needs to change—but not like this. SB 86 doesn’t create smart oversight. It creates a corporate monopoly disguised as public safety.

Let’s do this right:

• Establish a Wellness Retail License for shops meeting safety standards.
• Enforce ID checks, dosage caps, and childproof packaging.
• Grandfather in responsible retailers like Thrive Hive.
• Create a pathway for small businesses to become dispensaries without being priced out.
• Educate parents about safe cannabis storage at home—where most youth access occurs.

We don’t need prohibition. We need regulation with integrity.

Please help us tell the Ohio House of Representatives:

Don’t crush small businesses. Don’t reduce consumer access. And don’t mistake monopolization for public safety.

✍️ Sign this petition to oppose SB 86 and stand for fair competition, wellness access, and the survival of small business in Ohio.

📢 Share this petition with anyone who believes in protecting Ohioans’ freedom to choose wellness.
Let’s stand up for access, small business, and the right to natural alternatives. 💛

Read the Ohio SB 86 here: 

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/sb86