A bill approved by Ohio legislature and now awaiting Governor Mike DeWine’s signature paves the way for hemp production in the state, as well as allowing for sales of CBD products outside of regulated dispensaries.

Even with the governor’s signature, however, hemp production won’t take off immediately in the Buckeye State. The legislation, which farmers are calling “the hemp bill,” puts the Ohio Department of Agriculture in charge of rulemaking around hemp production, but stipulates those rules cannot go into effect until the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finalizes federal hemp production regulations. The USDA has said it expects to have those regulations in place this fall, “to accommodate the 2020 planting season.”

Individuals convicted of drug offenses or any felonies are banned from growing or processing hemp for 10 years under the new Ohio legislation.

Ohio is one of dozens of states that has legalized medical uses of cannabis. Under current law, hemp and cannabis compounds such as CBD can sold in regulated dispensaries, only. The bill awaiting the governor’s signature would permit sales of CBD, dietary supplements and any other products containing hemp or CDB with no more than 0.3% of THC through any retail establishment.

Federal restrictions on cannabis banking solutions remain in force, forcing businesses selling hemp and other cannabis products in Ohio and elsewhere to operate on a cash-only basis. Fortunately, Paybotic has developed payment-processing solutions that meet the unique needs of these businesses.

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