As 2026 unfolds, Ohio’s relationship with plant medicine is changing. From the looming implementation of Senate Bill 56, to the state’s first formal steps into psychedelic research, to an emergency measure surrounding kratom, there have been numerous attempts to change drug policies. For the MedicateOH community, these legislative maneuvers may limit or ban access to plants that you use as medicine. Here’s what we know:
The SB 56 Countdown and the Referendum Challenge
Passed in late 2025 and signed by Governor DeWine, Senate Bill 56 came as a comprehensive update to the voter-approved cannabis laws. Scheduled to take effect on March 20, 2026, the bill includes provisions that some say undermine what the citizens want.
The path to implementation faces a significant challenge from a proposed veto referendum led by the group Ohioans for Cannabis Choice. The organizers seek to block the first three core sections of the bill, which they argue recriminalizes certain aspects of the program and rolls back protections passed by voters. Attorney General Dave Yost rejected the group’s initial petition summary, saying that it was misleading. Yost said that the petition used two very similar, confusing descriptions for the definition of hemp. It also incorrectly stated that the bill gives local governments the authority to levy their own excise taxes on recreational sales and claimed the bill permits the delivery of adult-use cannabis, which Yost noted is not authorized in the law.
The group resubmitted their revised language on January 20, 2026. If the Attorney General certifies the new summary and the Ballot Board approves it, the group will then need to collect approximately 250,000 valid signatures. If they successfully gather and verify these signatures before the March 20 effective date, the challenged portions of SB 56 would be stayed. This would freeze those specific changes until voters decide whether to approve or reject them in the November 2026 election.
What Is at Stake in the Referendum?
If the referendum effort is successful in gathering the 250,000 signatures in the 90-day window they have to collect, several major components of SB 56 would be put on hold. Specifically, the provisions that would not become law include the ban on most intoxicating hemp-derived products outside of licensed dispensaries. The stay would also block new criminal penalties introduced by SB 56, such as those for possessing cannabis purchased in another state.
The Crackdown on Kratom: Emergency Bans and New Rules
While cannabis and psychedelics dominate much of the conversation, another plant medicine is facing a more immediate and restrictive shift. In late 2025 and early 2026, several states, including California and Texas, reported fatal overdoses specifically linked to concentrated 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) products, often when mixed with alcohol or other sedatives.
In December 2025, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy followed other states and issued an emergency rule effectively banning most kratom-related products for 180 days. This emergency action makes it illegal to sell or possess synthetic kratom and products concentrated with 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH).
The only current exception is natural kratom in its “vegetation form,” such as whole or dried leaves and simple powders. However, in January 2026, the Board of Pharmacy approved a proposal to begin the regular rulemaking process to classify mitragynine—the primary active alkaloid in natural kratom—as a Schedule I controlled substance.
This move has met significant pushback from advocates and some lawmakers. State Representative Brian Lorenz, who sponsored the Kratom Consumer Protection Act (House Bill 587), has argued that the state should focus on regulation rather than a total ban. The Board of Pharmacy is accepting public comments on the proposed mitragynine ban through January 28, 2026, and a final decision is expected this spring.
Natural Vs. Synthetic Kratom
MedicateOH has covered kratom in previous articles as a substance that some use to help reduce pharmaceutical opioid withdrawals. In its natural form, it’s potentially effective at that. However, while the primary alkaloid in kratom (mitragynine) is a relatively weak acting compound on opioid receptors, 7-OH is significantly more powerful. Research indicates that 7-OH is roughly 13 to 17 times more potent than morphine and up to 46 times more potent than kratom in its natural form. Because it binds so strongly to the μ-opioid receptors in the brain, it can produce effects much more similar to traditional pharmaceutical opioids than raw kratom leaf.
Users of 7-OH often report that they require higher doses very quickly to achieve the same effect. Those who become dependent on concentrated 7-OH products often face withdrawal symptoms nearly identical to those of opioid withdrawal, including intense anxiety, muscle aches, insomnia, and gastrointestinal distress.
Many products sold in gas stations as “7-OH” or “7-Hydroxy” are not natural extracts but are instead chemically concentrated or semi-synthetic, leading to levels far higher than what a human would ever consume by eating kratom leaves. The most dangerous side effect of traditional opioids is respiratory depression—the primary cause of overdose deaths. Raw kratom leaf has a “ceiling effect” that generally prevents lethal respiratory depression. However, 7-OH lacks this safety ceiling.
Evaluating Ibogaine: A New Frontier in State Research
Ohio is also taking its first formal steps into the study of psychedelics. Through House Bill 96, the legislature established the Ibogaine Treatment Study Committee. Ibogaine is a psychoactive compound derived from the African iboga tree and is currently a Schedule I substance under federal law.
The committee is chaired by State Representative Justin Pizzulli and is tasked with evaluating how ibogaine might treat substance use disorders, PTSD, depression, and mild traumatic brain injuries. During its second meeting in January 2026, the committee heard testimony from veterans who shared accounts of their struggles with traditional treatments and described their experiences with ibogaine abroad as life-changing.
It is important to note that this is strictly a study committee. It does not authorize the use, sale, or clinical trials of ibogaine in Ohio. During the January proceedings, Vice Chair Senator Stephen Huffman expressed a need for further medical safety data, specifically regarding cardiac complications. The committee is expected to continue its evaluation through the next two years, with a final report due to the General Assembly by December 31, 2027.
The Road Ahead: How to Participate
The next several months may determine the immediate regulatory future of cannabis, kratom, and other plant medicines in Ohio. Advocates for or against the regulation of these substances should participate in the legal process by opening a conversation with the legislators taking action. You can learn the full details of these laws, including SB 56 and HB 96, by reading the bill text and summaries at ohiolegislature.gov.
When reaching out to your representatives, briefly describe your personal interactions with these plant medicines and explain why you believe they should or should not be subject to bans or increased restrictions.
Key Contacts for Public Engagement
Ibogaine Treatment Study Committee
- Representative Justin Pizzulli (Chair): (614) 466-2124 | rep90@ohiohouse.gov
- Senator Stephen Huffman (Vice Chair): (614) 466-6247 | shuffman@ohiosenate.gov
Ohio Board of Pharmacy (Kratom Rulemaking)
- Public Comment Portal: http://www.pharmacy.ohio.gov/MITcomment
- General Inquiry: contact@pharmacy.ohio.gov
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