COLUMBUS, Ohio — A statewide signature drive is gaining momentum to block Ohio’s newly enacted hemp law, even as the state’s highest court has moved to relax restrictions on political expression by judges.
The proposed referendum effort, still in the early phase, seeks to overturn legislation passed in late 2025 that tightened regulations on hemp-derived products, including limits on THC content and new licensing requirements for processors and retailers. Supporters of the repeal say the law unfairly targets small businesses and farmers who invested heavily in the hemp industry after federal legalization in 2018.
“Our goal is to let voters decide whether Ohio wants to cripple one of its fastest-growing agricultural sectors,” said campaign spokesperson Dana Fields, who leads the new committee Ohio for Hemp Freedom. “The state rushed this law through without consulting the very people it affects most—farmers and small manufacturers.”
Opponents of the referendum, including some lawmakers and law enforcement groups, argue the law is necessary to address the rise of unregulated hemp-based intoxicants, particularly delta-8 THC products that mimic marijuana but remain legally ambiguous.
“Public safety had to come first,” said state Sen. Mark Daugherty (R–Marietta), who sponsored the measure. “We support hemp farming, but the loopholes were fueling a market that looks and acts like recreational marijuana without oversight.”
If organizers gather roughly 180,000 valid signatures by July, the measure could appear on the November 2026 ballot, temporarily halting enforcement of key portions of the law until voters weigh in.
Meanwhile, in a separate but politically charged development, the Ohio Supreme Court this week revised judicial conduct rules to grant judges and judicial candidates more leeway in expressing views on political and policy issues. The change reverses long-standing restrictions meant to preserve judicial impartiality but criticized by free-speech advocates.
Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy said the update reflects “a renewed commitment to transparency and civic engagement” among members of the judiciary. Critics, however, warn that the move could erode public confidence in the courts.
“Judges aren’t politicians, and these rules blurred that line,” said Toledo City Councilman and former judge Eric Mendez. “Ohioans want courts that decide cases on law, not ideology.”
Although unrelated, both developments point to a broader tension in Ohio’s political climate — one between regulation and freedom, and between institutional restraint and expression.
The hemp referendum campaign plans to begin collecting signatures at farm expos and regional fairs starting next month, setting the stage for another high-stakes ballot fight in an already busy election year.