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Ohio bars and breweries brace for impact as state law bans sale of THC seltzers
Senate Bill 56 bans hemp-derived THC drinks and gummies, limits sales to licensed dispensaries, and imposes new public smoking and open-container restrictions, impacting local businesses.
- Ohioans for Cannabis Choice failed to turn in 250,000 valid signatures by March 19, ending the referendum and allowing the law to take effect March 20.
- State lawmakers passed S.B. 56 and Gov. Mike DeWine signed it in December, then used a line-item veto to remove a temporary beverage carve-out after federal changes criminalizing certain hemp-derived intoxicating products.
- Limiting sales to state-licensed marijuana dispensaries means venues like Jukebox in Ohio City lose THC seltzers, which make up nearly 10% of sales, while breweries Fifty West, 50 West, and Urban Artifact oppose the measure and have sued.
- Affected businesses have about 24 hours to sell or destroy inventory, and lawsuits are filed as the Ohio Supreme Court may rule soon, Zimmerman said, "There’s a lot of jobs, a lot of capital, that feels like a rug pull."
- By altering 2023 voter-approved rules, the law criminalizes a dozen voter-approved provisions and removes protections affecting unemployment benefits, organ transplants, parenting time, and out-of-state cannabis purchases.
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Total News Sources15
Leaning Left3Leaning Right1Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution67% Center
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources are Center
67% Center
L 25%
C 67%
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