Ohio Activists Resubmit Fixed Referendum Petition After AG Rejection

Ohio activists are fighting back against state leaders who are trying to roll back the progress of legalization. After Attorney General Dave Yost blocked an initial attempt by calling the language "misleading," the group Ohioans for Cannabis Choice has officially resubmitted a redrafted referendum petition. Their goal is to stop S.B. 56, a restrictive new law that threatens to ban hemp sales outside dispensaries, recriminalize certain activities, and strip away hard-won consumer protections.

If organizers can gather enough signatures, the voters—not just the politicians—will get to decide the future of these rules on the November ballot. For the local community, this is a massive stand against government overreach and a fight to protect the thousands of small businesses that the new law would essentially shutter.

This matters to every toker in Ohio because it’s about respecting the will of the people who voted for legal cannabis in 2023. If this referendum succeeds, it ensures that your rights and access to both marijuana and hemp products remain protected from legislative interference.