2026 Ohio Referendum Drive Targets SB 56 Hemp Ban and Marijuana Rollbacks

30 December 2025

A group called Ohioans for Cannabis Choice is moving forward with a referendum aimed at blocking Senate Bill 56, a new law signed by Gov. Mike DeWine on Dec. 19, 2025. The group says the law rewrites key parts of Issue 2, the voter-approved measure that legalized recreational marijuana in Ohio.

Organizers say they’ve submitted the first required batch of signatures to start the referendum process. If state officials approve them, the campaign would need about 250,000 additional valid signatures from at least 44 counties to put the issue on the November 2026 ballot. If that threshold is met, SB 56 would be paused until voters decide its fate.

The referendum targets the first three sections of SB 56, which change how Ohio regulates, taxes, and enforces cannabis laws. Critics say the law tightens marijuana rules by limiting home grows to six plants and making it illegal to possess cannabis purchased outside Ohio’s licensed dispensaries. That could affect people who legally buy marijuana in neighboring Michigan and bring it home. The law also removes some protections for cannabis users, including those related to child custody and professional licensing, and adds new restrictions on where marijuana can be smoked or vaped.

SB 56 also cracks down on hemp-derived products. Under the new rules, intoxicating hemp items — including many THC-infused drinks — could only be sold through licensed marijuana dispensaries. Gov. DeWine used a line-item veto to remove language that would have delayed a ban on hemp beverages, meaning THC drinks could be pulled from shelves as soon as mid-March.

That change has divided Ohio businesses. Some hemp and beverage makers say they expected more regulation but not a fast-moving ban that could disrupt investments and jobs. Supporters of SB 56, including OHCANN, argue the law closes loopholes in an unregulated hemp market and strengthens Ohio’s legal cannabis system.