Morrow County’s top cop is spelling out how Ohio’s new marijuana rules actually work, especially when it comes to buying weed, driving with it, and using it in public. The sheriff’s office is telling residents to keep dispensary products sealed and out of reach in the car, and to skip smoking, vaping, or eating edibles in public spaces. The reminder follows a statewide overhaul of adult‑use cannabis and intoxicating‑hemp rules that took effect in mid‑March.
What the sheriff told residents
On April 7 the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office laid out the ground rules in a Facebook post, telling motorists that adult‑use products must stay in their original sealed package when not in use and that any open packages should be stowed in the trunk or a similar locked compartment. The post also warned that bringing marijuana across state lines is still off limits and urged people to buy recreational cannabis only from Ohio‑licensed dispensaries. The sheriff framed the advice as basic safety and compliance guidance for locals, according to the Morrow County Sheriff's Office.
What the new law actually does
Senate Bill 56, which Gov. Mike DeWine signed in December, rewrote Ohio’s adult‑use marijuana and intoxicating‑hemp rules and took effect in mid‑March. The measure expressly bans consuming adult‑use or homegrown marijuana in public places, requires edible products to stay in their original packaging when they are not actively being used, and says opened products have to be stored in trunks or other areas that drivers cannot easily reach. The law’s new definitions limit lawful adult‑use products to those cultivated, processed or sold under Ohio’s Chapter 3796, which effectively keeps cannabis from other states out of lawful possession in Ohio, according to the Ohio Judges Association.
Local fallout and pushback
The hemp and cannabis beverage restrictions in SB 56 drew immediate criticism from some small retailers and craft brewers, who say bans on intoxicating‑hemp products sold outside dispensaries could wipe out a key revenue stream. Advocacy groups have started a referendum drive aimed at blocking parts of the law, and several businesses have gone to court to try to stop enforcement of specific provisions. That mix of lawsuits and ballot efforts has left retailers and consumers guessing about which products are still legal outside licensed dispensaries, according to Ohio Capital Journal and WLWT.
Penalties and how enforcement may work
SB 56 backs up several of its rules with criminal penalties: using marijuana in public is a minor misdemeanor, transporting open adult‑use or medical marijuana in an area of a vehicle that is easily accessible to the driver can be a minor misdemeanor, and some unlicensed transfers or sales can reach the level of trafficking charges. The law connects licensing, packaging, and testing requirements to enforcement by the Division of Cannabis Control and local prosecutors while courts and any referendum campaigns play out. For the statutory language, see the Ohio Legislature, and for an enactment summary that includes offenses and penalties, see the Ohio Judges Association.
For now the sheriff’s message is simple: keep dispensary products sealed, lock opened items in the trunk, and stick to Ohio‑licensed dispensaries until courts, regulators or voters change the rules. Residents with questions have been told to watch the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office social channels for updates and clarifications, according to the department’s Facebook post.
