COLUMBUS, OH (WOWO) — A Franklin County judge has temporarily blocked Governor Mike DeWine’s executive order banning the sale of intoxicating hemp products across Ohio according to WBNS 10-TV.

The emergency order, signed last week, gave retailers until Tuesday to clear products like delta-8 gummies and edibles from their shelves or face $500 daily fines. But on Tuesday, three Ohio businesses sued, prompting the court to issue a 14-day restraining order.

DeWine’s office responded, saying the governor’s move was based on the voter-approved Issue 2, which legalized marijuana but limited its sale to regulated dispensaries — not gas stations or vape shops.

“Ohio voters approved a highly regulated market,” DeWine’s office said. “They did not approve sales in these other venues.”

The governor also pointed to the lack of safety testing and child-focused marketing of these hemp products. At a press conference last week, DeWine showed knockoff packaging mimicking candy brands like Sour Patch Kids, warning of a spike in hospitalizations among children.

Despite the temporary legal setback, DeWine said the state will continue pursuing permanent legislation with the help of the Ohio General Assembly.

Delta-8, the most common compound in these products, is derived from legal hemp but produces a mild high similar to marijuana — without the same regulation.

For now, sales can continue — but the legal fight is far from over.

https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/ohio/judge-blocks-ban-intoxicating-hemp-ohio/530-f8c0763b-3e3c-4a2d-a18e-c25ffd921651?tbref=hp