Intoxicating hemp in Ohio: 5 key takeaways from our reporting

Jesse Burns, co-owner of Bud City Dispo in Fairborn, talks in the store on Tuesday, Oct. 14. The store is continuing to sell its THCa products after Gov. Mike DeWine's 90-day ban on intoxicating hemp-derived THC products, which went into effect on Tuesday. Burns said an attorney who reviewed DeWine's order concluded the ban applies to Delta-8 products specifically. BRYANT BILLING / STAFF

Credit: Bryant Billing

Credit: Bryant Billing

Jesse Burns, co-owner of Bud City Dispo in Fairborn, talks in the store on Tuesday, Oct. 14. The store is continuing to sell its THCa products after Gov. Mike DeWine's 90-day ban on intoxicating hemp-derived THC products, which went into effect on Tuesday. Burns said an attorney who reviewed DeWine's order concluded the ban applies to Delta-8 products specifically. BRYANT BILLING / STAFF
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In just a couple years, Ohio’s intoxicating hemp industry has grown from relative obscurity to ubiquity. These days, you see signs for THC products all over the place. This worries Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, since the products are virtually unregulated. But now that the state has let the industry grow so big, DeWine is learning efforts to rein it in may prove difficult.

Here’s the latest from our reporting:

1. The ban: DeWine two weeks ago issued an executive order banning the sale of intoxicating hemp products across the state. This followed years of DeWine unsuccessfully pushing state lawmakers to take action.

2. Clap back: Hours after the ban went into effect Tuesday, a Franklin Count judge suspended the order in response to a lawsuit from retailers.

3. View from the street: Retailers say the legal sale of intoxicating hemp has grown to a multi-billion dollar industry supporting tens of thousand of jobs. Our reporters talked to local businesses who say they support regulation, but DeWine’s blanket ban has a deep cost for dozens of local businesses.

- “This kind of an industry doesn’t happen by accident — it has supporters, backers," said Raychel Loney, general manager of the Troll Pub at the Wheelhouse in Dayton. “Ohio’s economy is boosted by these kind of innovative drinks and stuff like that.”

4. Explainer: What is intoxicating hemp? How is it different than marijuana, which is now legal for adult use? And does DeWine have the authority to take such unilateral action? We have that and more in this in-depth explainer.

5. What’s next: DeWine’s order was supposed to be effect for 90 days. But the judge’s order put it on hold for 14 days. DeWine hopes this pressures state lawmakers to take action. The explainer above has a summary of proposed bills, noting that one has already unanimously passed the state Senate but is mired in a House committee.

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Josh Sweigart is an investigative reporter at the Dayton Daily News. His stories have focused on government waste, fraud, abuse and accountability in southwest Ohio, as well as the statehouse and U.S. Capitol.