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.

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.

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.

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.

This episode explores the evolution of gun and drug laws in the United States, highlighting common policy origins and legal principles underpinning the current fight for access. Hosts Hannah Miller and Doug Berman are joined by guest Jacob Sullum to discuss his latest book, Beyond Control: Drug Prohibition, Gun Regulation, and the Search for Sensible Alternatives—a critique of regulatory frameworks that have fallen short of their goals while eroding civil liberties—and to consider the potential impact of the Supreme Court case, United States v. Hemani.NOTE: This episode was recorded prior to the United States v. Hemani decision and provides a helpful understanding of the history gun and drug law leading up to the ruling.

The law that legalized recreational use of cannabis in Ohio included a number of provisions prohibiting adult-use operators from locating within 500 feet of a church, public library, public playground, public park, or school. According to our analysis, the likely number of prohibited areas is over 18,000. Our map displays schools, churches, public libraries and select parks statewide (not all locations could be identified), using a circular buffer from a specific geolocation to provide a look at prohibited zones for adult-use operators in the state.

This study explored if Ohio probation offices changed their policies and practices in response to Ohio adult-use marijuana legalization.

In the first episode of season 4, host Hannah Miller and cohost Douglas Berman unpack amici briefs and oral arguments from the Supreme Court case, United States v. Hemani. The case raises deep questions about enforcement, personal liberty, and how far the government can go to prevent harm. Guests Joel Johnson and Jake Charles bring expert perspectives to this pending case that sits at the uneasy crossroads of drugs and guns.