CLEVELAND — THC-infused beverages are officially outlawed in Ohio. The beverages are off store shelves and not being served in restaurants and bars, even though local breweries said they were popular there.
After the failed petition to place a referendum on Senate Bill 56 on the November ballot, 11 major Ohio breweries are taking the fight directly to lawmakers.
Breweries like Saucy Brew Works and Great Lakes Brewing Company are asking Ohioans to contact their representatives to demand a vote to override Governor Mike DeWine's decision to ban THC-infused drinks and certain hemp products.
Supporters of SB 56 say it closes a loophole that allows unregulated forms of cannabis to be sold outside of licensed dispensaries in places like gas stations, smoke shops, and even bars and restaurants.
The 11 breweries have launched a new website where residents can learn about what's happening and send a message directly to lawmakers.
At Saucy Brew Works, staff had to transport all their THC-infused drinks outside of the state.
The brewery was doing big business producing drinks that they cannot make on-site.
"We have an amazing partner in Indiana who is doing it for us, but obviously none of those jobs are here, and it costs more for somebody else to do it rather than us doing it," said Brent Zimmerman, co-founder, CEO, Saucy Brew Works.
At Great Lakes Brewing Company, folks are coming into the pub shocked to see the drinks no longer on the menu.
"For us, as a brewery that is trying to find some growth again in a very tough industry, it has really taken away that opportunity for us to find that revenue again from something that obviously consumers are extremely interested in and the one category that was growing," said Chris Brown, co-CEO of Great Lakes Brewing Company.
News 5 reached out to DeWine's office for a statement. The office said: "Even with the passage of Issue 2 in 2023, which legalized recreational marijuana sales in Ohio, no Ohio voter approved THC beverages to be sold at restaurants, breweries, convenience stores, and carryouts."
Brewers said they are counting on lawmakers now to bring the issue back to the Ohio Statehouse. If it is, brewers said they will have until the end of the year to continue selling their products in-house. Meanwhile, they will need to work at the federal level to allow THC-infused drinks to be sold in restaurants, bars, breweries, and convenience stores in the future.
Learn more about what breweries are advocating for.
