Cannabis regulation in Ohio

On Nov. 7, 2023, Ohio voters approved Ohio Issue 2. The ballot initiative changed Ohio law to allow the sale and purchase of recreational cannabis, regulated by a new Division of Cannabis Control within the Ohio Department of Commerce. As the General Assembly considers legislation to regulate recreational cannabis, and the executive branch considers next steps, policymakers will need to weigh public health, public safety, equity and other considerations.

The brief gives an overview of the current status of recreational cannabis legislation under consideration in the General Assembly and also draws on previous HPIO analysis to outline what lessons can be learned from current tobacco and alcohol policy to inform future cannabis regulation.

Resources

• Tobacco, Alcohol and Health Series: Implications for Future Cannabis Policy — Health Policy Institute of Ohio
• HPIO resource page on Issue 2: An act to regulate adult use of cannabis (2023)
• Marijuana reform-related research, resources — Ohio State University Moritz College of Law Drug Enforcement and Policy Center
• Advancing Public Health & Equity in Cannabis Policy — Getting it Right from the Start Public Health Institute

Facts and Figures

Use HPIO graphics and data in your work. To use the data graphics in your presentations, click here to access the slides on Google Drive, click “File” and then “Download.” This will allow the option to download individual slides or the full deck into PowerPoint slides, a jpg, pdf or other available media files.