Blog Posts in 2019

Ohio Cities with Marijuana Decriminalization Measures

While medical marijuana in Ohio was legalized in 2016 by state lawmakers, the recreational use of cannabis is still against the law. However, former Gov. James Rhodes signed a bill that decriminalized cannabis in 1975, making possession of up to 100 grams of marijuana considered a “minor misdemeanor,” punishable by a maximum $150 fine. Minor misdemeanors are treated like traffic tickets and do not ...

Ohio Department of Agriculture Releases Proposed Hemp Rules

In October of 2019, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) released proposed rules for cultivating and processing hemp. The substance was decriminalized in the summer of this year after Governor DeWine signed Senate Bill 57 into law. The bill required that the ODA develop standards for the state’s hemp program. The ODA developed two separate hemp-related rules: One for cultivation and the other ...

Can People Grow Their Own Medical Marijuana Supply in Ohio?

The Columbus Dispatch reported on a survey conducted by the Drug Enforcement Policy Center at Ohio State University and the nonprofit advocacy group Harm Reduction Ohio. The study found that many medical marijuana cardholders in Ohio are not buying medicinal cannabis because the prices are too high and dispensary locations are inconvenient These kinds of problems have led to a significant number ...

Fifth District Court of Appeals: Juvenile Courts Must Provide Rationale for Tier Classification

On November 4, 2019, the Fifth District Court of Appeal made a ruling in In re M.W., 2019-Ohio-4564 , which involved a juvenile court’s classification of a minor as a Tier II sex offender/child victim offender. The Court decided that when a juvenile court is determining which tier to place a minor in, it must explain the classification decision with sufficient detail to allow for a meaningful ...