Ohio Activists Launch Signature Drive to Block Marijuana and Hemp Restrictions

Ohioans for Cannabis Choice aim to get a referendum on the November ballot to overturn new state law

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Ohioans for Cannabis Choice have launched a signature drive to get a referendum on the November ballot that would block a new Ohio law set to take effect on March 20. The law would reduce THC levels in adult-use marijuana extracts, cap THC in flower, prohibit public smoking, and ban intoxicating hemp products. The group needs over 248,000 signatures by March 19 to qualify for the ballot, and they are confident they can gather the needed support despite the tight timeline.

Why it matters

The proposed referendum is a response to Ohio lawmakers' efforts to roll back parts of the state's voter-approved recreational marijuana law. Activists argue the new restrictions would re-criminalize cannabis and ban popular hemp products, undoing the will of Ohio voters who legalized marijuana in 2023. The outcome could have major implications for the state's burgeoning cannabis industry and access to marijuana-derived products.

The details

Senate Bill 56, set to take effect on March 20, would reduce the maximum THC level in adult-use marijuana extracts from 90% down to 70%, cap THC in flower at 35%, prohibit public smoking, and ban the possession of marijuana outside of its original packaging. The legislation would also criminalize bringing legal marijuana from other states back to Ohio and require drivers to store it in their trunk. Additionally, the bill would ban intoxicating hemp products, which some medical cannabis patients rely on to maintain sobriety.

  • Ohioans voted to legalize marijuana in 2023, and recreational sales started in August 2024.
  • Ohio Senate Bill 56 is set to take effect on March 20, 2026.
  • Ohioans for Cannabis Choice have until March 19, 2026 to collect over 248,000 signatures to get their referendum on the November 2026 ballot.

The players

Ohioans for Cannabis Choice

A group of Ohio activists launching a signature drive to get a referendum on the ballot to block new state restrictions on marijuana and hemp.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost

Initially rejected the referendum's summary language, but later approved it after Ohioans for Cannabis Choice made changes.

Dr. Bridget Williams

A board-certified family physician who founded Green Harvest Health, an Ohio medical cannabis clinic. She says many of her patients rely on CBD and THC products to maintain sobriety.

Wesley Bryant

The owner of 420 Craft Beverage in Cleveland, a business that employs 20 people. He supports regulation and a proper licensing framework for the industry.

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What they’re saying

“We have a ground swell and folks are angry. [Politicians] hate the fact that people spoke and now they're trying to re-criminalize cannabis and ban products, and we're not going to stand for that.”

— Joey Ellwood, Hemp farmer in Tuscarawas County (Ohio Capital Journal)

“I have many patients that have maintained their sobriety from drugs and alcohol due to CBD and CBD-combined products. I also have a lot of patients that have been able to maintain sobriety by using cannabis related products, CBD, and THC for social interaction.”

— Dr. Bridget Williams, Board-certified family physician and founder of Green Harvest Health (Ohio Capital Journal)

“That's 20 families that I employ. What am I supposed to do on March 19, when I have to look at these 20 families and tell them, you can no longer work here, not because we failed as a business, but because the government failed us.”

— Wesley Bryant, Owner of 420 Craft Beverage in Cleveland (Ohio Capital Journal)

What’s next

The judge will decide on Tuesday whether to allow the referendum to be placed on the November 2026 ballot.

The takeaway

This referendum drive highlights the ongoing tension between voters who supported marijuana legalization in Ohio and lawmakers who are now seeking to roll back parts of the law. The outcome could have significant implications for the state's cannabis industry and access to marijuana-derived products for medical patients and recreational users.