Balancing Act: Regulating Intoxicating Hemp Products in Ohio

The rapid proliferation of intoxicating hemp products in many retail outlets and settings in Ohio and elsewhere has raised concerns among policymakers and public health experts about their safety and marketing. Amid calls for more federal oversight, many states have taken various steps under state law to regulate or significantly restrict these products. A new bill, SB 86, was introduced in the Ohio Senate addressing the production, sale, and use of intoxicating hemp products.

On March 5, 2025, the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center hosted a webinar featuring experts discussing the national and Ohio landscape for intoxicating hemp regulation. Panelists addressed how to best balance the interests of Ohio’s hemp and marijuana industries with concerns about underage use of intoxicating products as well as the safety and quality of these products.

Panelists

Jonathan Miller, General Counsel, U.S. Hemp Roundtable

Michelle Minton, Senior Policy Analyst, Reason Foundation

David Bowling, Executive Director, Ohio Cannabis Coalition

Moderator

Patricia J. Zettler, John W. Bricker Professor of Law, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law; Acting Academic Director, Drug Enforcement and Policy Center