COLUMBUS – A bill to legalize hemp and hemp-derived CBD is moving quickly through the Ohio Statehouse in large part because of complaints about recent crackdowns on CBD.

Senate Bill 57 would set up a framework for regulating hemp cultivation and processing, which includes extracting the compound cannabidiol, or CBD. The bill passed the Ohio Senate in a 30-0 vote on Thursday and now goes to the House for consideration.

Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis plants. But hemp contains tiny amounts of THC, a compound that generates a "high."

Hemp can be used to make clothing, paper, fuel and othe rproducts. But demand has surged in the U.S. because of CBD, which consumers say improves their anxiety, pain and other ailments.

Ohio retailers have pulled CBD products from their shelves – or been asked to pull them by local officials – in recent months. State law doesn't differentiate between hemp and marijuana, and the Ohio State Pharmacy Board clarified last August that CBD falls under the purview of state's medical marijuana program.

Wholesale distributors reported being stuck with as much as $23,000 of inventory in warehouses that they could no longer sell.

"Let's get this done so they can resume selling what they've already had on their shelves," bill sponsor Sen. Brian Hill, R-Zanesville, told The Enquirer on Wednesday.

The 2018 Farm Bill made industrial hemp an agricultural commodity alongside corn or soybeans. States must now submit plans to the feds for how they will regulate it.

Senate Bill 57 would allow for the sale and use of CBD products 90 days from when the bill is signed by the governor. Developing rules and regulations for farmers and CBD processors would take several months.

The urgency may be centered around CBD, but Hill said the bill also supports farmers, large and small. The licensing fees for hemp growers and processors would be determined by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. But Hill said lawmakers don't want there to be expensive licensing fees like the state's medical marijuana program.

"We think it's a great opportunity for agriculture, definitely a great opp for those who use the CBD products," Hill said. "It opens up a great opportunity for research and development. Does CBD truly do what people say it does?"

Senators made several changes to the bill Wednesday, including requiring licensing for CBD processors and testing for hemp products and allowing hemp and CBD to be added to food, beverages and cosmetics. Theresa Daniello, a Northeast Ohio-based cannabis consultant, said those changes will protect consumers and ensure hemp is a robust commodity in Ohio.

“As we continue on this path, there’s going to be additional room for improvement,” Daniello said.

The bill has the backing of several influential Statehouse lobbying groups including the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, NFIB Ohio and the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants.

Ohio would join 41 other states with hemp legislation. Neighboring states Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia and Pennsylvania grew hemp last year.

What would the bill do?

Hemp-derived CBD products would be legal in Ohio and not considered part of the medical marijuana program.

Farmers could grow hemp under a three-year license from the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

All hemp and hemp products would be tested to make sure they contain no more than 0.3 percent THC.

Universities could grow or process hemp and hemp-derived CBD for research purposes without obtaining a license from the state.

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