Ohio's Approach to Hemp-derived THC

Ohio’s blanket pause is a heavy-handed fix for a solvable problem. We already age-gate, disclose validated potency, and third-party test every batch of Starglow. Replace a broad ban with clear, enforceable rules (age verification, dosage caps, COAs, plain-English labels, and licensed sellers) so consumers are protected and compliant Ohio makers are not punished.

Toledo Spirits supports sensible, age-gated regulation and product-testing standards for federally legal, hemp-derived THC products. Every batch of Toledo Spirits’ Starglow is tested by a licensed third-party lab and undergoes rigorous quality-assurance procedures. We will continue to monitor state and federal actions and take the necessary steps to ensure compliance.

However, Ohio’s move to impose a blanket, temporary ban on hemp products is a heavy-handed response to a nuanced, but solvable, regulatory challenge. A targeted framework, modeled on the well-established standards in the alcohol and tobacco industries, would protect consumers without collapsing a lawful category overnight. Responsible producers and retailers already follow basic guardrails, including age-gating, validated per-serving potency disclosure, and ingredient transparency.

A measured approach would codify those standards, license sellers, cap dosage, mandate third-party testing, and penalize noncompliance. Instead, an abrupt (and indefinite) pause penalizes compliant operators, pushes consumers toward unregulated channels, disrupts retail contracts, harms Ohio manufacturers like Toledo Spirits, and creates policy whiplash across the supply chain.

We will comply fully with any order issued, but we urge the State to replace broad prohibition with focused oversight that is data-driven, time-bound, and enforceable. Clear rules, including age verification at point of sale, potency limits per serving and per container, plain-English labeling, lot-level traceability, and retailer licensing, will achieve the State’s safety goals without extinguishing a legitimate, testable, and trackable market.