Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine held a press conference on Wednesday urging the Ohio General Assembly to work quickly to regulate Delta-8 products in order to protect minors from buying these products, which are found in gas stations and convenience stores across the state.
If regulated, Delta-8 products would be sold with restrictions similar to Ohio's new recreational marijuana laws that require products to only be sold by licensed retailers to those 21 years old or older.
According to the 2018 Federal Farm Bill, hemp products that have 0.3% THC or less can be sold by any retailer, making the purchase and sale of the items legal.
"The current loophole that allows these dangerous products to be sold to children needs to be closed as soon as possible,” DeWine said. “Right now, [State] Senator Steve Huffman is working on a bill to address this.”
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Delta-8 is a substance found in the cannabis sativa plant. Delta-8 is an alternative form of THC. Delta-8 is only slightly different, chemically, from the more common Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
DeWine said the products are marketed to kids and are made to look like their favorite candy and treats. According to data from the Ohio Poison Control Center, there have been at least 257 reports of Delta 8 poisoning in Ohio over the last three years. In 2023 , there were 102 reported poisonings, including 40 involving children under the age of six.
“I’m just asking the legislature to take action so that we can get these products off the shelf,” DeWine said.
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