Bill cunning in the Great America. Welcome this Thursday afternoon in the tri State. Who's going to start for the Bengals on Sunday? Tony Benner tells me it's going to be Joe Burrow and not Joe Flacco. We'll see if Tony's right or not, because it appears Burrow may play on Sunday. We'll see what happens against the Patriots. But until then, I know there's been a lot of difficulties and uncertainties about hemp and fuge drinks, and marijuana and so much more CBD. Many of my friends use CBD
to sleep at night. A lot of them drink hemp and fuge drinks. Some businesses are built upon that fact. But the Feds just passed the law kind of eliminating the whole industry within a year. Then each state are acting separately and joining you. And I now is the man in charge in Columbus, Senator Steve Huffman, who was up this morning till one or two o'clock in the morning working on the bill. And I guess there's been a little bit of an agreement what to do with this.
And Senator Steve Huffman Welcome again to the Bill Cunningham Show. But before we get started, I always like to talk about American veterans, and yesterday in the Capitol, you and others honored a World War Two veteran at the Battle of the Bulge. Can you briefly give me his name and why he was honored?
Jim Arisman from Farmersville in Montgomery County for his one hundredth birthday. He'll be one hundred on Thanksgiving Day. Just a great honorable man and you know, a great generation. He told me of the story. You know, he was injured and got the Purple Heart and the Battle of the Bulge and he was wounded and laid in a foxhole for hours till he could be rescued, and just a great, great American. It was my honor to have him there in on his hunt of birthday.
And you know, Senator, that is the greatest generation to be lying in a hole with temperatures below zero, wounded, covered up with dirt and grime in order to maybe save your life. And then to have the success of the Battle of the Bulge because of the activities of General Patton, but mainly the soldiers like Jim got it done, and I'm not sure we have it in us to
do what that generation did. That's a different issue. So, first of all, the FEDS past the cr which city essentially that HEMP and fused businesses have about to one year to resolve their inventory to sell, and they kind of pushed it off to the states a little bit. I understand from our two conversations. There was media reports yesterday the House and the Senate had reached an agreement, which wasn't the case. But then there was a kind
of an agreement this morning at one o'clock. Can you tell the American people as we sit here about twelve ten pm on Thursday afternoon, what is the status the HEMP and CBD in the state of Ohio at this point.
Well, you know, earlier this year, we each had our bill. We didn't agree to it, so we decided to go to conference committee. I was chair of the Conference committee, and you know, the Senate adjourned for the night, and then I was about to walk out the door and they said, hold on, I think we got a deal. And that was about nine thirty, and I called the committee of eleven thirty and we finished about twelve fifteen. We had the agreement. The House went to the floor
right after that and voted. They were done about one fifteen, one thirty, and the Senate doesn't have another session for a couple of weeks. But I am sure that the Senate will honor our agreement and vote to pass the exact same thing that the House did last night.
Hie.
So as of one thirty am this morning, about nine ten hours ago, the deal is struck. But you and the Senate were out of session. You're going to come back into session and you're telling me the deal you're about to announce is going to be. It's going to pass in about two weeks. Is that correct?
I believe so the governor will have to sign it to have this ability to line item veto because there's some money into it.
But I am sure that.
We have the votes in the Senate to pass it to Mullana the agreement that we have at the House.
So Tony Benner wants to know what is the deal? Am I write down the deal? Give me one, two, three, and four. What's the deal?
Well, there was one was on marijuana. We cleaned up some things. They'll still be allowed to have twelve plants, but we cleaned some things up from issue too was the first part. The second part was in ninety days after the the bill as signed, all gummies edibles will be illegal in the state of Ohio. And that is something that you know that and you've talked to Mike d. Whine about kids are getting that, So that will all
be illegal. We will continue to allow beverages at five milligrams, which is a reasonable amount.
For this year.
And if the Feds come back and say, you know, you're allowed to keep beverages and do that, we have an agreement with the House and Senate that we will have discussions and make proper regulations with proper restrictions and proper taxation in the future. But didn't have time to get that last, but you can continue to get those and we will allow places like ryan Geist in Cincinnati if you can manufacture at a higherli level, but you got to sell that stuff out of state if other states allow it.
So that the major part is ninety days after the bill is signed, which is two to three weeks from now, all gummies and edibles in the state of high will be illegal. Is that correct?
Yes, if they have anything over zero point four milligrams which is very little and not intoxicating.
If it's above that, it's illegal.
So the gummies below that are legal because they're not intoxicating. Of course, the reason you take them is because they're intoxicating. You don't take because they're not intoxicating. He's taken because
they're intoxicating. And so essentially, by having a very low level of THC, the purpose of the gummies and edibles is to have intoxicating effect or some effect, but the level will be so low wellot and essentially, unless you want to manufacture below point oh four, there will be no gummies or edibles legal in Ohio beginning in about ninety or so days.
Is that correct?
There are some yes, there are some people that like the low level THHC because it also has the CBD xtra dials and other things in there that helps them sleep and in things like that. And you know, another big thing that was in this bill is you know there's a ten percent tax and thirty six percent of that will go back to the locals of the jurisdictions
where the dispensaries are. The ballot initiative did not have a way for the state to actually give you give them the money, and we did that in this bill. So we've we've honored you know, the ballot initiae of wording that says you'll get thirty six percent of that ten percent. And that's going to make a lot of places, especially places where there's a bunch of dispensaries like the City of Cincinnati.
And I And it'll make the City of Cincinnati happy. They'll get more money. Is that correct?
That is is wherever the dispensary is, that jurisdictions will get there thirty six percent of the ten percent tax.
Now, I'm not going to this next point, which is beverages have to have a very low, very low hemp drinks. Beverages have to have a very low THC Is that correct?
Very low?
That is five milligramts for twelve ounces. You know, I've seen these things around the country where you know, a twelve ounce can, I think to me and use one drink. Well, they'll they'll have twelve lines at can and say each line is a serving, so and that's twelve ounce.
Can they consider.
Twelve servings at five milligrams? That's sixty milligrams? Right? You wouldn't be able to stand up at sixty milligrams, so five milligrams to me, it's probably parallel to a twelve ounce spear.
So Ryan guys fifty West right now are selling these Hampton Feud beverages much above five milligrams, correct, A lot more than that is currently being sold.
Correct. I don't know how much what they are. They can do that now.
I know that other states allow for tens, fifteens, and twenties, so I can't say what they're doing now, but my understanding is probably at least tennis is also a popular drink in Ohio.
So, and what's the purpose of the litigation of this legislation? What's the purpose Because some of the Ryan geist in the fifty West are not happy about government getting involved. They want the consumer to decide what to do. So what's the argument that needs to be limited to such a low amount that you might you don't get a buzz. The idea, I think is to get a buzz. I think that's the purpose. I think the purpose of drinking
alcohol is to get a buzz. I think the purpose of these hemp infused drinks is take the place of the buzz caused by alcohol. And so, what is the governmental interest in having shall I say little or no buzz as opposed a more buzz.
I would say that.
One the five metogram is probably equal to one twelve ounce bud lock.
So you're right.
With one of them, you are not going to get a buzz, but three four you will get a buzz.
And so it's a.
Reasonable you know, maybe one or two you're feeling good, and maybe that's the objective of the consumer, but it'll it'll still get you impaired if you drink too much of it.
All right, Now, as far as Delta eight, I know the governor and you were concerned about teenage boys and girls going into a convenience store buying Delta eight products. What's the status of that as far as the age limit and the amount.
In ninety days, it'll be totally illegal for adults, younger people, anybody if it's above that small amount. So we're going to get rid of all of it. You can still get some lotions and creams that people put on for their arthritis, but essentially we'll do away with it because it's a lot of it's stuff that comes from China and kids have been able to get it for a while and advertise to them and in this bill, it'll
cut out all advertising to children. It has to be approved by the Marijuana Commission before they could do anything.
So a teenage boy or girl going in the convenience store to buy Delta eight and ninety days will be illegal, that's correct, And you have to be twenty is it twenty one?
Is that the age.
Twenty one for the beverages and it can only be sold at current places that have a liquor license or a bar that has a liquor license, the only place you'll be able to get it.
Senator Steve Huffin, what's the interaction now of the federal legislation? There's another provision this from our conversation this morning about that if the Feds I don't know, but Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is all exercised along with Ryan Paul about the hemp farmers are going to be hit by the bill in Washington which they basically eliminate all of it.
And so, what's the interaction between your bill, which is going to become long about ninety days or so, as opposed to the federal piece of legislation.
Hard bill?
Pretty much marrors it. We increase the timeline on the gummies and edibles. But there's many people in Columbus, in the industry in Washington believes that the federal government in the next year will come back and say, hold on, here's the regulations for you know, the limits on THHC and hemp in beverages and other things, and then the states would be able to regulate it however they want with those guidelines, is what people think. Some states will
just say nope, I don't want any of it. Other states will say, you know, we'll take even more restrictions or you know, or follow the federal law.
And so if the Feds change it, then you and Columbus will change it. Also, is that correct?
The House in the sent has an agreement that we will do our best to come to an agreement to to most likely preserve only the best. We only have an agreement to try to preserve long term the beverages and not the other stuff.
And beverages at a very low level. Now, Thirdly, I'm I have a belief that marijuana is in like thirty six or thirty seven states. The selling, manufacturing, the grow, the processing of marijuana is all over the country. It's also true that the FEDS consider marijuana to be a
Schedule one. The FEDS consider it to be similar to cocaine or methamphetamine, and there seems to be no appetite in Washington to make that a Schedule three because the Trumpster are many Republicans don't think Many Republicans don't think
marijuana should be grown anyway or used by anybodies. So, assuming that marijuana federally is a Schedule one narcotic which carries severe penalties, is it an anomaly in the law that Ohio in many other states permit the growing, processing, and sell selling of marijuana to millions of people even though it's against federal law. Is that correct?
It's a joke. It's a failure of the federal government. It's you know, don't look behind the curtain and do anything, and we're going to let you do that, but we won't let you do banking because as if that's the federal we will let you cross.
It's illegal to cross the state.
Lines from Ohio and marijuana to Michigan marijuana. And it's stupid. They need to come with a Scheduled three drug. And the other thing it does is medical research. Let's put it out there and let places like a High State and you see do research and say this is good and it helps migraines, it helps post traumatic stress, or it doesn't. But we can't do that research as long as it's a scheduled one drug and thirty six or
whatever states have it. If we have good regulations but be able to do research and have some other framework would certainly help chimes.
We sit here Thursday afternoon. A Kentucky in that drives from Boone County to Hamlety County to buy marijuana here and then take it back to Boone County is committing a federal criminal offense.
That is correct.
And all these marijuana farmers in OHI and processors that's growing marijuana, processing marijuana, and selling marijuana are all committing federal criminal offenses.
That is correct too.
So why don't the Feds enforce it?
One might ask.
You know, this is multiple administrations for years that have that that haven't and that's their policy. It's it's just they they should do something about it, and they won't.
I've talked to Euston, I've talked to Senator Speaker of the House. Uh, there's no appetite to take the issue on it all because they're saying, Okay, we got there, we got on the books. These federal criminal statutes about marijuana use similar to growing poppy seeds, are similar to manufacturing methamphetamine. Marijuana's in the same category as in the other ones. But wink, wink, nod, nod, we're not going to force federal criminal statutes, which I don't understand.
Well, you know, I don't understand that. But you know, we were both against the ballot initiative and twenty three and it happened, and here it is. But we've also talked about the good part of it. We took a you know, it's a billion dollar the recreation will be a billion dollar industry in twenty twenty five in just
the state of Ohio. We took a billion dollars away from drug dealers, yep, a billion dollars, and we had including one hundred or one hundred million that we taxed that we can put the good use to treat drug addiction and police enforcement and other things like that. So there was some good out of the ballot initiatives we've talked about before, but the federal government could probably get in on some of that tax stuff, but they have chose not to.
Multiple Republican Democrats, they don't want to touch it. And so those the State of ohiores participating in an illegal criminal syndicate for the selling of illegal drugs federally and benefiting from it. And I'm going, well, something's wrong here. All right, Well, Senator Steve Hoffman, I know you've been working hard at this. At one am, there was no deal this morning, at one thirty, there was a deal in ninety days. All this is going to become effective
once the governor signs it. We'll see what happens down the road. And Senator have a great Thanksgiving with their family, and God bless you and God bless America. Senator, thank you very.
Much, you take care, Thanks for having me.
God bless you all. Let's continue with more unbelievable and the Feds don't touch it. But it's illegal, but the state of Ohio, thirty six other states benefit from it. And if you drive from Kentucky to Ohio, Ohio to Michigan back and forth, you're transporting a schedule one narcotic across state lines. Twenty years in jail. But we're not going to enforce it. Bill Cunningham News Radio seven hundred ww