The Ohio Senate passed a bill Wednesday that aims to significantly change Ohio's marijuana law. 

The bill aims to reduce THC levels, limit home grow, and restrict public use. Senate Bill 56 now heads to the Ohio House for further consideration. President of the Mahoning County Township Association and Austintown Township Trustee Robert Santos took his concerns to Columbus on Thursday to testify on the budget language. 

"Any changes to this effectively disregard the measure and the will of the people," Santos said during the hearing. "Regardless of personal views on cannabis, the residents have spoken. While I personally oppose Issue 2, as a public servant, it is our duty to respect the decision made by those voters."

The bill would limit home-grow from 12 plants to six plants, reduce the THC levels in adult-use marijuana from 90% to 70%, and ban public consumption.

"The people voted for what they wanted and I don't understand why we need to make changes," said Cory Groner, Owner of Green Leaf Therapy in Struthers.

Certain provisions in the Senate Bill include maintaining the tax revenue for local municipalities.

Initial language in the bill would have raised the tax on adult-use marijuana to 15%, with those funds going to the state general fund instead of the host community. This language is still in Ohio's budget version of the bill.

"Austintown approved a dispensary based on the percentage we would receive," Santos said during the hearing. "Townships are the oldest form of government. We are the most restricted and underfunded."

"I want people to be aware that this isn't just in one place that they need to be watching it carefully," said State Rep. Lauren McNally (58-D). "To drastically change it, the way that they have with the senate bill and what's in the budget from the governor's proposal, it's really a blow to the people who said 'this is what we want."

McNally also pointed to the overwhelming vote in 2023 to approve adult-use marijuana in the Buckeye State.

"I'm not surprised things are shifting with marijuana regulation," she added. "I knew there was controversy in the Republican side that they wanted to change a lot of things with it. They were not supportive of it in the first place in 2023. The local communities are going to have to bear the burden over this power-trip move."

Trustee Santos speaking out against any fund relocation that could still be on the table, Groner agrees revenue should go back to the host community.

"It took a lot of work for Struthers to get us in the community," Groner said. "They took a risk to reap the benefits. Why does it make sense to raise the tax and take it away from the place that needs it the most and is affected by it the most? That's my biggest gripe with it. Communities could be missing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Groner told 21 News changes to THC levels could lead to customers purchasing unregulated products.

"You see gas stations selling Delta-8 and all of these unregulated products. The state does nothing about that. Everything we sell is tested," Groner said. "You know exactly when it was harvested. You know what you are getting. All of this stuff [not sold in dispensaries] is not regulated by anybody. They get it off some wholesale website and they're not paying 20% tax, right?"

Groner said he understands the ban on public consumption but disagrees with lawmakers attempt to take away legislation that Ohioans voted for.

"[Voters] they have to keep speaking their mind," McNally added. "So that we continue to make sure this bill has exactly what it needs to have in it so that everyone is successful in this marijuana venture."

On Wednesday, Warren City Council unanimously voted to pass a resolution opposing SB 56, concerned the city would not benefit from tax revenue with the proposed change. 

McNally said she is seeing several Republicans divided on SB 56. She believes it will be more complicated for the Ohio House to pass the bill through.

"There will be a lot of discussion and the public will have more opportunities to speak on this," McNally said. "But, the public can't take their foot off the gas now."

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