Ohio AG rejects petition to repeal marijuana law changes

OG article by WSYX Staff

January 14, 2026

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost rejected a referendum petition from Ohioans for Cannabis Choice to repeal parts of Senate Bill 56, signed by Gov. Mike DeWine last month. The law bans intoxicating low-THC hemp products, including beverages. Yost reviewed the December 29 submission and found the summary misleading due to omissions and misstatements about the bill's scope. Ohio law requires fair, truthful petition titles and summaries. Yost highlighted inaccuracies: the summary falsely claimed the bill authorizes adult-use marijuana delivery, when it only covers medical patients; no rules allow adult-use delivery. It also misstated local authority, as the bill prohibits municipalities from restricting state cannabis activities. On taxes, it wrongly implied local excise taxes on adult-use sales, when the law bans them. Yost declined certification, requiring revisions and resubmission for petitioners to proceed.