This resource aims to inform discussion of marijuana taxation and revenue allocation, at both the state and local level. We detail how the Ohio initiative’s tax and revenue structures compare to the other states, provide an interactive map illustrating Host Community Cannabis Fund tax revenue per municipality, and provide the first systematic exploration into how local governments spend or are planning to spend marijuana tax revenue in states that allocate part of their overall marijuana state tax revenue to local governments.

In June 2026, the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center brought together leading scholars, advocates and regulators for a webinar to explore the implications of marijuana rescheduling at the federal level, as well as what it does—and does not—change in the federal and state cannabis landscape. This conversation took place after the Trump Administration made a surprise announcement in April 2026 that it was rescheduling state medical marijuana products, but before a hearing in late June to consider full rescheduling of all forms of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. This episode is a recording of that webinar and features Sam Kamin, Robert Mikos, Cat Packer and Kathryn Cornelius, in conversation with Doug Berman. Together, they explore what partial rescheduling of marijuana means in practice, and what the future could hold for adult-use marijuana.

This resource aims to help visitors better understand intoxicating hemp products and their regulation across the nation as well as Ohio. We present a timeline highlighting key moments in the regulation of hemp and intoxicating hemp products in Ohio and at the federal level, provide a comparison of state reform approaches and priority areas of concern with regard to these products, and assemble the center’s research on hemp regulation.

Our series of annual reports trace the progress of the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program (OMMCP). In addition to presenting survey results focused on patients’ and other users’ satisfaction levels with the program, this resource provides state data about the medical and recreational cannabis industry, and recommendations for regulators and policymakers to enhance Ohio's cannabis market for patients.

Like most other states that have legalized cannabis for recreational use, Ohio allows local jurisdictions to enact ordinances to prohibit or limit the operation of adult-use cannabis businesses within their boundaries, although they may not prohibit the operation of existing medical cannabis operators that are already located within their jurisdiction. This resource provides more details about the moratoriums, their purposes and intents, and what localities should consider as Ohio implements its legal cannabis market.

In August 2025, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called on the Ohio Board of Pharmacy (OBP) to designate all natural and synthetic kratom compounds as Schedule I drugs. This statement came just weeks after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced their recommendation to place kratom compound 7-hydroxymitragynine (also referred to as 7-OH) products under Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This page answers common questions about kratom and its compounds, details the regulatory efforts in Ohio and other states, and provides information on federal scheduling and public health information.

To better illuminate the rescheduling process, DEPC has produced a timeline highlighting key moments in the recent effort to reschedule marijuana at the federal level, provided answers to likely questions regarding the process and impact of rescheduling, gathered key documents relevant to the rescheduling process thus far, and assembled the center’s papers and webinars on the interactions between federal reforms and state marijuana laws and businesses.

The current study used criminal incident data from Columbus, Ohio to compare crime trends before and after the start of legal recreational marijuana sales to explore whether the rate of criminal incidents 2 changed in areas with recreational marijuana dispensaries. The results do not support the hypothesis that crime increased in areas with dispensaries after the start of recreational marijuana sales in Columbus, Ohio. However, our results must be considered in light of critical limitations inherent to our research design and for the data used.

In this episode, host Hannah Miller and cohost Douglas Berman bring back Joel Johnson and Jake Charles to discuss the Supreme Court’s ruling in United States v. Hemani. We explore how Hemani fits into the Court’s evolving Second Amendment framework established by Heller, McDonald, Bruen, and Rahimi, the role of dangerousness, status, and historical analogues, and why—despite a unanimous ruling—Hemani leaves many issues in firearm dispossession and marijuana law unresolved.

This study, coauthored by DEPC Senior Researcher Peter Leasure and Affiliated Researcher Meghan M. O'Neil examined whether primary drug of choice is associated with risk of being injured or threatened by a gun. Analyses showed marginally and statistically significant differences in firearm victimization risk between individuals identifying alcohol as their primary drug of choice and those identifying cocaine, heroin/opioids, or crystal meth. Individuals identifying marijuana as their primary drug of choice had the lowest risk of gun victimization. Firearm victimization was common among people receiving addiction treatment, though less frequent among those preferring marijuana. Risk did not differ significantly by race or ethnicity. More than 40% of participants reported gun victimization, underscoring firearm violence as a major public health concern for this population and by association, their families.

This report examines results from a survey of Opportunity Port clients on whose behalf the project filed record sealing and expungement applications, including the payment of a $50 court filing fee. The purpose of this research was to better understand the impact of record relief on clients’ employment, housing and broad dimensions of overall well-being. The results suggest that record sealing and expungement can serve as meaningful tools for improving labor market outcomes, housing opportunities, and quality of life.

This page details the drug-related ballot initiatives that are up for a vote in the next election and tracks pending ballot initiatives that could impact the status of marijuana legalization. The page also provides a timeline of efforts to enact and implement marijuana reforms via the ballot box since 1996 as well as information on the results of ballot initiatives from recent years.