Ohio

/in

Ohio: Marijuana Updates

APPLIES TO

All Employers with Employees in OH

EFFECTIVE

MAR 20, 2026

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Quick Look

  • Ohio’s SB 56 restricts intoxicating hemp sales, imposes new criminal penalties, and bans all public and workplace marijuana consumption.
  • The law reinforces employer protections, including the right to maintain drug-free workplace policies, discipline or terminate employees for prohibited use, and deny unemployment benefits for violations.

Discussion

Effective March 20, 2026, Ohio’s SB 56 brings sweeping changes to the state’s cannabis framework, expanding regulatory oversight and limiting access to unregulated intoxicating hemp products.

 

The law places Ohio’s adult‑use marijuana program under the Division of Cannabis Control and bans the sale of intoxicating hemp products outside licensed marijuana dispensaries, significantly tightening the state’s regulatory structure. It also creates new criminal penalties, making it illegal to possess cannabis legally purchased in another state, prohibiting all public consumption (including edibles), and requiring all cannabis carried in a vehicle to be stored unopened in the trunk or the vehicle’s rearmost compartment.

 

Of note for employers, the law expressly prohibits individuals from smoking, vaporizing, or combusting marijuana in a “public place” or a “place of employment,” reaffirming that employers may maintain drug‑free workplace rules and ban all forms of consumption at work. It also prohibits businesses operating public places from knowingly allowing adult‑use or homegrown marijuana consumption on their premises, which may affect hospitality, entertainment, transportation, and other consumer‑facing industries.

 

SB 56 also reinforces the rights of employers to discipline or terminate employees for marijuana use that violates company policy and clarifies the consequences for employees who violate them. Specifically, an employee discharged for marijuana use in violation of a workplace policy will be ineligible both to serve a waiting period for unemployment compensation and to collect benefits during the period of disqualification.

 

Finally, employers should note that cannabis advocacy groups in Ohio are pursuing a statewide referendum to block SB 56 from taking effect, creating some uncertainty about the law’s future. Notwithstanding, SB 56 is set to go into effect on March 20, 2026, unless and until it is formally paused or overturned.

 

Action Items

  1. Review and update drug-free workplace policies, if applicable.
  2. Continue to monitor future developments.
  3. Have appropriate personnel trained on drug-free workplace requirements.

 

Disclaimer: This document is designed to provide general information and guidance concerning employment-related issues. It is presented with the understanding that ManagEase is not engaged in rendering any legal opinions. If a legal opinion is needed, please contact the services of your own legal adviser. © 2026 ManagEase