Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) alongside several public officials, held a press conference on Wednesday to sound the alarm on intoxicating hemp, also known as Delta-8, and its accessibility to minors.

“It is intoxicating, it is something that needs to be banned, and again, the legislature could ban it,” DeWine said. 

The event featured stark visuals, with Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson comparing THC-infused candies to their regular counterparts, highlighting the potential targeting of children.

Scientist Weighs In: The governor was also joined by Dr. Gary Wenk, Emeritus professor, Behavioral Neuroscience at The Ohio State University and Medical Center.

Wenk explained Delta-8 was not a problem in the past as it was hard to come by, but then companies discovered it was easy to convert CBD into the Delta-8 compound that can produce a high. Now, young people can get it easily and legally, he pointed out.

"Hemp laws focus on Delta-9 THC, leaving space for producers to exploit other THC types like Delta-8," said attorney Tom Haren, chair of Cannabis Practice at Frantz Ward LLP, a Cleveland law firm.

DeWine's initial pronouncements raised eyebrows recently with claims of children as young as 12 accessing these products and experiencing hallucinations, a term that typically refers to psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin.

To address the loophole, state senate leader Steve Huffman (R) is drafting a standalone bill to regulate intoxicating hemp. Huffman said he wants to make certain it strikes a balance between protecting public health and preventing undue burden on legitimate CBD retailers.

"There are excellent CBD products out there," Huffman said. "But others, manufactured in a way that is dangerous and potentially intoxicating, need regulation."

As of Wednesday’s press conference, the bill was still being drafted.

Photo: Benzinga edit with images by Vivien McClain Photography via Wikimedia Commons and Alesia Kozik via Pexels