Speaker 1: Bill cunning in the Great America. Welcome this Thursday afternoon
Speaker 1: in the tri State. Who's going to start for the
Speaker 1: Bengals on Sunday? Tony Benner tells me it's going to
Speaker 1: be Joe Burrow and not Joe Flacco. We'll see if
Speaker 1: Tony's right or not, because it appears Burrow may play
Speaker 1: on Sunday. We'll see what happens against the Patriots. But
Speaker 1: until then, I know there's been a lot of difficulties
Speaker 1: and uncertainties about hemp and fuge drinks, and marijuana and
Speaker 1: so much more CBD. Many of my friends use CBD
Speaker 1: to sleep at night. A lot of them drink hemp
Speaker 1: and fuge drinks. Some businesses are built upon that fact.
Speaker 1: But the Feds just passed the law kind of eliminating
Speaker 1: the whole industry within a year. Then each state are
Speaker 1: acting separately and joining you. And I now is the
Speaker 1: man in charge in Columbus, Senator Steve Huffman, who was
Speaker 1: up this morning till one or two o'clock in the
Speaker 1: morning working on the bill. And I guess there's been
Speaker 1: a little bit of an agreement what to do with this.
Speaker 1: And Senator Steve Huffman Welcome again to the Bill Cunningham Show.
Speaker 1: But before we get started, I always like to talk
Speaker 1: about American veterans, and yesterday in the Capitol, you and
Speaker 1: others honored a World War Two veteran at the Battle
Speaker 1: of the Bulge. Can you briefly give me his name
Speaker 1: and why he was honored?
Speaker 2: Jim Arisman from Farmersville in Montgomery County for his one
Speaker 2: hundredth birthday. He'll be one hundred on Thanksgiving Day. Just
Speaker 2: a great honorable man and you know, a great generation.
Speaker 2: He told me of the story. You know, he was
Speaker 2: injured and got the Purple Heart and the Battle of
Speaker 2: the Bulge and he was wounded and laid in a
Speaker 2: foxhole for hours till he could be rescued, and just
Speaker 2: a great, great American. It was my honor to have
Speaker 2: him there in on his hunt of birthday.
Speaker 1: And you know, Senator, that is the greatest generation to
Speaker 1: be lying in a hole with temperatures below zero, wounded,
Speaker 1: covered up with dirt and grime in order to maybe
Speaker 1: save your life. And then to have the success of
Speaker 1: the Battle of the Bulge because of the activities of
Speaker 1: General Patton, but mainly the soldiers like Jim got it done,
Speaker 1: and I'm not sure we have it in us to
Speaker 1: do what that generation did. That's a different issue. So,
Speaker 1: first of all, the FEDS past the cr which city
Speaker 1: essentially that HEMP and fused businesses have about to one
Speaker 1: year to resolve their inventory to sell, and they kind
Speaker 1: of pushed it off to the states a little bit.
Speaker 1: I understand from our two conversations. There was media reports
Speaker 1: yesterday the House and the Senate had reached an agreement,
Speaker 1: which wasn't the case. But then there was a kind
Speaker 1: of an agreement this morning at one o'clock. Can you
Speaker 1: tell the American people as we sit here about twelve
Speaker 1: ten pm on Thursday afternoon, what is the status the
Speaker 1: HEMP and CBD in the state of Ohio at this point.
Speaker 2: Well, you know, earlier this year, we each had our bill.
Speaker 2: We didn't agree to it, so we decided to go
Speaker 2: to conference committee. I was chair of the Conference committee,
Speaker 2: and you know, the Senate adjourned for the night, and
Speaker 2: then I was about to walk out the door and
Speaker 2: they said, hold on, I think we got a deal.
Speaker 2: And that was about nine thirty, and I called the
Speaker 2: committee of eleven thirty and we finished about twelve fifteen.
Speaker 2: We had the agreement. The House went to the floor
Speaker 2: right after that and voted. They were done about one fifteen,
Speaker 2: one thirty, and the Senate doesn't have another session for
Speaker 2: a couple of weeks. But I am sure that the
Speaker 2: Senate will honor our agreement and vote to pass the
Speaker 2: exact same thing that the House did last night.
Speaker 3: Hie.
Speaker 1: So as of one thirty am this morning, about nine
Speaker 1: ten hours ago, the deal is struck. But you and
Speaker 1: the Senate were out of session. You're going to come
Speaker 1: back into session and you're telling me the deal you're
Speaker 1: about to announce is going to be. It's going to
Speaker 1: pass in about two weeks. Is that correct?
Speaker 2: I believe so the governor will have to sign it
Speaker 2: to have this ability to line item veto because there's
Speaker 2: some money into it.
Speaker 3: But I am sure that.
Speaker 2: We have the votes in the Senate to pass it
Speaker 2: to Mullana the agreement that we have at the House.
Speaker 1: So Tony Benner wants to know what is the deal?
Speaker 1: Am I write down the deal? Give me one, two, three,
Speaker 1: and four. What's the deal?
Speaker 2: Well, there was one was on marijuana. We cleaned up
Speaker 2: some things. They'll still be allowed to have twelve plants,
Speaker 2: but we cleaned some things up from issue too was
Speaker 2: the first part. The second part was in ninety days
Speaker 2: after the the bill as signed, all gummies edibles will
Speaker 2: be illegal in the state of Ohio. And that is
Speaker 2: something that you know that and you've talked to Mike d.
Speaker 2: Whine about kids are getting that, So that will all
Speaker 2: be illegal. We will continue to allow beverages at five milligrams,
Speaker 2: which is a reasonable amount.
Speaker 3: For this year.
Speaker 2: And if the Feds come back and say, you know,
Speaker 2: you're allowed to keep beverages and do that, we have
Speaker 2: an agreement with the House and Senate that we will
Speaker 2: have discussions and make proper regulations with proper restrictions and
Speaker 2: proper taxation in the future. But didn't have time to
Speaker 2: get that last, but you can continue to get those
Speaker 2: and we will allow places like ryan Geist in Cincinnati
Speaker 2: if you can manufacture at a higherli level, but you
Speaker 2: got to sell that stuff out of state if other
Speaker 2: states allow it.
Speaker 1: So that the major part is ninety days after the
Speaker 1: bill is signed, which is two to three weeks from now,
Speaker 1: all gummies and edibles in the state of high will
Speaker 1: be illegal. Is that correct?
Speaker 2: Yes, if they have anything over zero point four milligrams
Speaker 2: which is very little and not intoxicating.
Speaker 3: If it's above that, it's illegal.
Speaker 1: So the gummies below that are legal because they're not intoxicating.
Speaker 1: Of course, the reason you take them is because they're intoxicating.
Speaker 1: You don't take because they're not intoxicating. He's taken because
Speaker 1: they're intoxicating. And so essentially, by having a very low
Speaker 1: level of THC, the purpose of the gummies and edibles
Speaker 1: is to have intoxicating effect or some effect, but the
Speaker 1: level will be so low wellot and essentially, unless you
Speaker 1: want to manufacture below point oh four, there will be
Speaker 1: no gummies or edibles legal in Ohio beginning in about
Speaker 1: ninety or so days.
Speaker 3: Is that correct?
Speaker 2: There are some yes, there are some people that like
Speaker 2: the low level THHC because it also has the CBD
Speaker 2: xtra dials and other things in there that helps them
Speaker 2: sleep and in things like that. And you know, another
Speaker 2: big thing that was in this bill is you know
Speaker 2: there's a ten percent tax and thirty six percent of
Speaker 2: that will go back to the locals of the jurisdictions
Speaker 2: where the dispensaries are. The ballot initiative did not have
Speaker 2: a way for the state to actually give you give
Speaker 2: them the money, and we did that in this bill.
Speaker 2: So we've we've honored you know, the ballot initiae of
Speaker 2: wording that says you'll get thirty six percent of that
Speaker 2: ten percent. And that's going to make a lot of places,
Speaker 2: especially places where there's a bunch of dispensaries like the
Speaker 2: City of Cincinnati.
Speaker 1: And I And it'll make the City of Cincinnati happy.
Speaker 1: They'll get more money. Is that correct?
Speaker 2: That is is wherever the dispensary is, that jurisdictions will
Speaker 2: get there thirty six percent of the ten percent tax.
Speaker 1: Now, I'm not going to this next point, which is
Speaker 1: beverages have to have a very low, very low hemp drinks.
Speaker 1: Beverages have to have a very low THC Is that correct?
Speaker 3: Very low?
Speaker 2: That is five milligramts for twelve ounces. You know, I've
Speaker 2: seen these things around the country where you know, a
Speaker 2: twelve ounce can, I think to me and use one drink. Well,
Speaker 2: they'll they'll have twelve lines at can and say each
Speaker 2: line is a serving, so and that's twelve ounce.
Speaker 3: Can they consider.
Speaker 2: Twelve servings at five milligrams? That's sixty milligrams? Right? You
Speaker 2: wouldn't be able to stand up at sixty milligrams, so
Speaker 2: five milligrams to me, it's probably parallel to a twelve
Speaker 2: ounce spear.
Speaker 1: So Ryan guys fifty West right now are selling these
Speaker 1: Hampton Feud beverages much above five milligrams, correct, A lot
Speaker 1: more than that is currently being sold.
Speaker 3: Correct. I don't know how much what they are. They
Speaker 3: can do that now.
Speaker 2: I know that other states allow for tens, fifteens, and twenties,
Speaker 2: so I can't say what they're doing now, but my
Speaker 2: understanding is probably at least tennis is also a popular
Speaker 2: drink in Ohio.
Speaker 1: So, and what's the purpose of the litigation of this legislation?
Speaker 1: What's the purpose Because some of the Ryan geist in
Speaker 1: the fifty West are not happy about government getting involved.
Speaker 1: They want the consumer to decide what to do. So
Speaker 1: what's the argument that needs to be limited to such
Speaker 1: a low amount that you might you don't get a buzz.
Speaker 1: The idea, I think is to get a buzz. I
Speaker 1: think that's the purpose. I think the purpose of drinking
Speaker 1: alcohol is to get a buzz. I think the purpose
Speaker 1: of these hemp infused drinks is take the place of
Speaker 1: the buzz caused by alcohol. And so, what is the
Speaker 1: governmental interest in having shall I say little or no
Speaker 1: buzz as opposed a more buzz.
Speaker 3: I would say that.
Speaker 2: One the five metogram is probably equal to one twelve
Speaker 2: ounce bud lock.
Speaker 3: So you're right.
Speaker 2: With one of them, you are not going to get
Speaker 2: a buzz, but three four you will get a buzz.
Speaker 3: And so it's a.
Speaker 2: Reasonable you know, maybe one or two you're feeling good,
Speaker 2: and maybe that's the objective of the consumer, but it'll
Speaker 2: it'll still get you impaired if you drink too much
Speaker 2: of it.
Speaker 1: All right, Now, as far as Delta eight, I know
Speaker 1: the governor and you were concerned about teenage boys and
Speaker 1: girls going into a convenience store buying Delta eight products.
Speaker 1: What's the status of that as far as the age
Speaker 1: limit and the amount.
Speaker 2: In ninety days, it'll be totally illegal for adults, younger people,
Speaker 2: anybody if it's above that small amount. So we're going
Speaker 2: to get rid of all of it. You can still
Speaker 2: get some lotions and creams that people put on for
Speaker 2: their arthritis, but essentially we'll do away with it because
Speaker 2: it's a lot of it's stuff that comes from China
Speaker 2: and kids have been able to get it for a
Speaker 2: while and advertise to them and in this bill, it'll
Speaker 2: cut out all advertising to children. It has to be
Speaker 2: approved by the Marijuana Commission before they could do anything.
Speaker 1: So a teenage boy or girl going in the convenience
Speaker 1: store to buy Delta eight and ninety days will be illegal,
Speaker 1: that's correct, And you have to be twenty is it
Speaker 1: twenty one?
Speaker 3: Is that the age.
Speaker 2: Twenty one for the beverages and it can only be
Speaker 2: sold at current places that have a liquor license or
Speaker 2: a bar that has a liquor license, the only place
Speaker 2: you'll be able to get it.
Speaker 1: Senator Steve Huffin, what's the interaction now of the federal legislation?
Speaker 1: There's another provision this from our conversation this morning about
Speaker 1: that if the Feds I don't know, but Senator Mitch
Speaker 1: McConnell of Kentucky is all exercised along with Ryan Paul
Speaker 1: about the hemp farmers are going to be hit by
Speaker 1: the bill in Washington which they basically eliminate all of it.
Speaker 1: And so, what's the interaction between your bill, which is
Speaker 1: going to become long about ninety days or so, as
Speaker 1: opposed to the federal piece of legislation.
Speaker 3: Hard bill?
Speaker 2: Pretty much marrors it. We increase the timeline on the
Speaker 2: gummies and edibles. But there's many people in Columbus, in
Speaker 2: the industry in Washington believes that the federal government in
Speaker 2: the next year will come back and say, hold on,
Speaker 2: here's the regulations for you know, the limits on THHC
Speaker 2: and hemp in beverages and other things, and then the
Speaker 2: states would be able to regulate it however they want
Speaker 2: with those guidelines, is what people think. Some states will
Speaker 2: just say nope, I don't want any of it. Other
Speaker 2: states will say, you know, we'll take even more restrictions
Speaker 2: or you know, or follow the federal law.
Speaker 1: And so if the Feds change it, then you and
Speaker 1: Columbus will change it. Also, is that correct?
Speaker 2: The House in the sent has an agreement that we
Speaker 2: will do our best to come to an agreement to
Speaker 2: to most likely preserve only the best. We only have
Speaker 2: an agreement to try to preserve long term the beverages
Speaker 2: and not the other stuff.
Speaker 1: And beverages at a very low level. Now, Thirdly, I'm
Speaker 1: I have a belief that marijuana is in like thirty
Speaker 1: six or thirty seven states. The selling, manufacturing, the grow,
Speaker 1: the processing of marijuana is all over the country. It's
Speaker 1: also true that the FEDS consider marijuana to be a
Speaker 1: Schedule one. The FEDS consider it to be similar to
Speaker 1: cocaine or methamphetamine, and there seems to be no appetite
Speaker 1: in Washington to make that a Schedule three because the
Speaker 1: Trumpster are many Republicans don't think Many Republicans don't think
Speaker 1: marijuana should be grown anyway or used by anybodies. So,
Speaker 1: assuming that marijuana federally is a Schedule one narcotic which
Speaker 1: carries severe penalties, is it an anomaly in the law
Speaker 1: that Ohio in many other states permit the growing, processing,
Speaker 1: and sell selling of marijuana to millions of people even
Speaker 1: though it's against federal law. Is that correct?
Speaker 2: It's a joke. It's a failure of the federal government.
Speaker 2: It's you know, don't look behind the curtain and do anything,
Speaker 2: and we're going to let you do that, but we
Speaker 2: won't let you do banking because as if that's the
Speaker 2: federal we will let you cross.
Speaker 3: It's illegal to cross the state.
Speaker 2: Lines from Ohio and marijuana to Michigan marijuana. And it's stupid.
Speaker 2: They need to come with a Scheduled three drug. And
Speaker 2: the other thing it does is medical research. Let's put
Speaker 2: it out there and let places like a High State
Speaker 2: and you see do research and say this is good
Speaker 2: and it helps migraines, it helps post traumatic stress, or
Speaker 2: it doesn't. But we can't do that research as long
Speaker 2: as it's a scheduled one drug and thirty six or
Speaker 2: whatever states have it. If we have good regulations but
Speaker 2: be able to do research and have some other framework
Speaker 2: would certainly help chimes.
Speaker 1: We sit here Thursday afternoon. A Kentucky in that drives
Speaker 1: from Boone County to Hamlety County to buy marijuana here
Speaker 1: and then take it back to Boone County is committing
Speaker 1: a federal criminal offense.
Speaker 3: That is correct.
Speaker 1: And all these marijuana farmers in OHI and processors that's
Speaker 1: growing marijuana, processing marijuana, and selling marijuana are all committing
Speaker 1: federal criminal offenses.
Speaker 3: That is correct too.
Speaker 1: So why don't the Feds enforce it?
Speaker 3: One might ask.
Speaker 2: You know, this is multiple administrations for years that have
Speaker 2: that that haven't and that's their policy. It's it's just
Speaker 2: they they should do something about it, and they won't.
Speaker 1: I've talked to Euston, I've talked to Senator Speaker of
Speaker 1: the House. Uh, there's no appetite to take the issue
Speaker 1: on it all because they're saying, Okay, we got there,
Speaker 1: we got on the books. These federal criminal statutes about
Speaker 1: marijuana use similar to growing poppy seeds, are similar to
Speaker 1: manufacturing methamphetamine. Marijuana's in the same category as in the
Speaker 1: other ones. But wink, wink, nod, nod, we're not going
Speaker 1: to force federal criminal statutes, which I don't understand.
Speaker 2: Well, you know, I don't understand that. But you know,
Speaker 2: we were both against the ballot initiative and twenty three
Speaker 2: and it happened, and here it is. But we've also
Speaker 2: talked about the good part of it. We took a
Speaker 2: you know, it's a billion dollar the recreation will be
Speaker 2: a billion dollar industry in twenty twenty five in just
Speaker 2: the state of Ohio. We took a billion dollars away
Speaker 2: from drug dealers, yep, a billion dollars, and we had
Speaker 2: including one hundred or one hundred million that we taxed
Speaker 2: that we can put the good use to treat drug
Speaker 2: addiction and police enforcement and other things like that. So
Speaker 2: there was some good out of the ballot initiatives we've
Speaker 2: talked about before, but the federal government could probably get
Speaker 2: in on some of that tax stuff, but they have
Speaker 2: chose not to.
Speaker 1: Multiple Republican Democrats, they don't want to touch it. And
Speaker 1: so those the State of ohiores participating in an illegal
Speaker 1: criminal syndicate for the selling of illegal drugs federally and
Speaker 1: benefiting from it. And I'm going, well, something's wrong here.
Speaker 1: All right, Well, Senator Steve Hoffman, I know you've been
Speaker 1: working hard at this. At one am, there was no
Speaker 1: deal this morning, at one thirty, there was a deal
Speaker 1: in ninety days. All this is going to become effective
Speaker 1: once the governor signs it. We'll see what happens down
Speaker 1: the road. And Senator have a great Thanksgiving with their family,
Speaker 1: and God bless you and God bless America. Senator, thank
Speaker 1: you very.
Speaker 3: Much, you take care, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1: God bless you all. Let's continue with more unbelievable and
Speaker 1: the Feds don't touch it. But it's illegal, but the
Speaker 1: state of Ohio, thirty six other states benefit from it.
Speaker 1: And if you drive from Kentucky to Ohio, Ohio to
Speaker 1: Michigan back and forth, you're transporting a schedule one narcotic
Speaker 1: across state lines. Twenty years in jail. But we're not
Speaker 1: going to enforce it. Bill Cunningham News Radio seven hundred
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