Ohio Governor Signs Order to Ban Temporary Intoxicating Hemp: What This Means for You

Governor Mike DeWine has officially banned all intoxicating hemp products in Ohio by signing an executive order, at least temporarily. This means gas stations, smoke shops, and other businesses selling hemp gummies, drinks, and other products with intoxicating cannabinoids like THCA or Delta 8 now have until Tuesday, 10/14/2025, to remove those products from their shelves. This ban will last for 60 days. Anyone who doesn't comply could face a fine of $500.00 per day while the product remains on shelves.

Click here to read his order.

If you buy these hemp products instead of going to a licensed dispensary, this directly affects you.

Why Is He Doing This?

Governor DeWine has been urging the Ohio Legislature for months to pass real hemp reform. He is particularly concerned about products being sold to underage kids or packaged in ways that resemble candy. He wants to see these rules in place before he leaves office. This is his last term, and he aims to make a statement before he’s done.

Instead of waiting any longer, he’s taking a bold step — banning intoxicating hemp products across Ohio until lawmakers pass something he can sign into law.

How Businesses Are Reacting

Gas stations, convenience stores, and vape shops selling hemp edibles, drinks, and vapes with psychoactive effects are now required to clear their shelves. This includes anything that can get you high but isn’t sourced from a licensed cannabis dispensary. To say they are unhappy would be an understatement.

Some dispensary owners are pleased with this decision. They feel that unregulated hemp products have been cutting into their business. The hemp market has had no age limits, no licensing, and minimal oversight. This means anyone could walk in and buy something that looks like weed and feels like weed, but technically isn’t marijuana.

Where I Stand On This

As an advocate, I support legal and properly licensed hemp products that are not synthetic and not designed solely to create a high. I’m referring to traditional hemp and CBD products that help people without getting them high.

What I don’t trust are the intoxicating hemp products where the origin is unclear, the lab tests are outdated or expired, and the results don’t match the numbers printed on the packaging. That’s dangerous.

For those who may not know, METRC is a tracking system used in licensed cannabis programs that follows a product from seed to sale. Hemp lacks that level of oversight, so you can’t always know what’s really in that gummy, cartridge, or drink. Yes, hemp is still weed, just with a legal limit of 0.3% THC. But trust me, a product that claims “only 0.3% THC” can still be potent, depending on your body.

We all have an endocannabinoid system, which means everyone reacts differently to cannabinoids and terpenes. It’s not just about the THC number — the strain and mix of compounds really matter. Some are calming, some are energizing, and many of these so-called new strains are merely renamed versions of the same genetics used in the high-THC market. It’s all marketing.

Let’s Talk About the Differences

Here’s a quick breakdown for those who are confused about Delta 8, Delta 9, THC, and THCA:

• Delta 9 THC: The main psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana. This is what’s regulated in licensed dispensaries.

• Delta 8 THC: Made from hemp-derived CBD through chemical conversion. It provides a high but is weaker than Delta 9 and is often produced in questionable labs with no testing standards.

• THCA: The raw, non-psychoactive form of THC. It becomes intoxicating only when heated, smoked, vaped, or cooked.

• THC (general term): Refers to several forms of tetrahydrocannabinol. Most people mean Delta 9 when they say THC.

  
  

My Takeaway

I don’t dislike these products, but I believe the state needed to step in and establish real rules. If we want a fair market, we need to regulate hemp properly, not just shut everything down indefinitely.

The goal should be safety, transparency, and truth in labeling — not fear, confusion, or punishment for people trying to manage their pain or anxiety with legal options.

So I want to hear from you. Do you like Delta 8 or THCA products? Do you think this ban is fair? Would you prefer regulated hemp sales with proper testing and age limits instead of this temporary ban?

Call To Action

Leave your thoughts in the comments below or join the discussion on my Ohio Cannabis Live YouTube channel.

Follow Ohio Cannabis Live for daily updates on cannabis news, Ohio laws, and real talk about what’s happening in our state.

Visit www.ohiocannabislive.com to stay informed and connected.

About The Author

Mastamynd is the founder of Ohio Cannabis Live, one of Ohio’s first and most trusted voices in cannabis news and education. As one of the state’s first medical cannabis patients, he has dedicated years to educating the public about Ohio’s cannabis laws and helping build a safer, more informed community.