Ohio Gov. Signs Intoxicating Hemp Ban, Vetoes Infused Beverage Carve-Out

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) on Friday signed a bill into law that bans intoxicating hemp products and makes it illegal to possess cannabis products from out-of-state sources, the Ohio Capital Journal reports.

The bill contains other cannabis provisions, including new THC caps of 70% for cannabis extract products and 35% for adult-use flower. As part of its ban on out-of-state products, the bill also requires cannabis to be stored in its original packaging, and it requires cannabis to be stored in the trunk of vehicles during transit.

The hemp product ban will take effect 90 days after the signing, on March 19, 2026. Before approving the bill, however, DeWine line-item vetoed a provision in the proposal that would have allowed for hemp THC beverages to continue being sold until November, when the federal ban on hemp THC products is set to take effect.

When it takes effect, the ban is expected to shutter hundreds of Ohio hemp businesses.

The ban comes about three months after DeWine issued an executive order with a 90-day ban on intoxicating hemp products, calling on lawmakers to legislate a permanent solution. The governor’s ban, however, faced legal challenges from the industry and was blocked by a county judge.

“Ohio is making good public policy by enacting its own intoxicating hemp ban earlier than federal law,” the governor wrote in his veto message. “However, a carve out to allow the further sale of intoxicating hemp beverages for most of 2026 will create confusion for consumers and a lack of conformity with federal law.”

The governor also argued that purveyors of intoxicating hemp push the products as an alcohol substitute despite major differences, which could “mislead consumers into thinking these products will have the same effect on them as alcohol … thus creating safety issues.”