July 14, 2025 • 18 mins
Brian talks with Ohio State Representative Tex Fischer about recreational marijuana in Ohio.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's say forty here fifty five Carsey Talks station around
Thomas Fish and everybode a very happy, happy Monday, and
welcoming to the fifty five KRSSE Morning Show. We're Ohio's day.
Representative Tex Fisher. Tex Fisher represents District fifty nine. Happens
to be the youngest selected official in the state of Ohio,
at least from the House of Representatives tax Good to
have you on the fifty five Carson Morning Show, My friend, welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Oh thank you for having me twenty nine years old.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Have I got that right? Yes, sir, well, it's an
amazing accomplishment and congratulations on reaching that lofty goal at
such a young age. And you are fighting to protect
what we voted for and overwhelming numbers here in the
state of Ohio. That was an issue too. November twenty three,
fifty seven percent of Ohioans voted yes to legalize recreational
(00:47):
cannabis use in marijuana use in the state of Ohio,
and immediately it was actually mostly driven by the Republicans
side of the ledger, although you may know some Democrats
who are trying to change the law, but this wasn't
a constitutional amendment. So the legislative brand can make changes
to what we passed by overwhelming majority. What are they
trying to do? You're in opposition to some of these changes.
(01:08):
What are the proposals? What types of changes are being
thrown around in Columbus right now?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Tex Yeah, I think so. The bill has made admittedly
a lot of progress, I think in the right direction.
So we're talking about a Senate Bill fifty six I
was introduced at the beginning of the year and moved
pretty quickly through the Senate, and then as I got
to the House, a lot of changes have been made.
So I still have not seen the most up to
date version of the bill, but I do know that
(01:35):
has moved in a pretty significantly positive direction in terms
of respecting the world of voters. And I think the
goal of what myself and some of the other folks
working on this is we really want this to be
more of an implementation of issue too, because there are
a lot of language in the BAT initiative was kind
of insufficient, It was a little bit vague. It didn't
give I think the proper guardrails to the administrative folks
(01:58):
at the Division of Cannabis controlled really implement the legal
cannabis market in a way that makes sense and is
pro business, So that's what I'm looking for. I think
it's making a lot of progress in that direction, but
ultimately we weren't entirely there. I think there are definitely
some folks that want to see things more restricted, and
I certainly you know, understand where they're coming from, but
that's not what the people voted for. So I think
(02:19):
our job is to try to find the right balance
of making sure we're protecting the intent of what the
voters passed an issue too, while also making it a
little bit easier for those folks to do business, and
also addressing the hemp issue in a smart and reasonable way,
because I think that was another big sticking point for
myself and some other folks on the Republican side of
the legislature that we want to make sure that whatever
we do on these is the right thing to do,
(02:40):
and not just passing something so we can say we
passed something and then end up just you know, and
ending up with a constitutional amendment that we can't change,
which is just going to waste a whole lot of
everyone's time and money. And I think we can do
this the right way and so respectable of the voters.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Well, now is there a division or like a distinction
being drawn between hemp and marijuana? Is that one of
the things that's being bandied about and argued over because
you know, hemp, to me is is just an industrial product.
You can't get high on it. And I remember one
politician saying, no self respecting dope d would even be
caught smoking hemp. I mean, it's an exercise and futility
to get high off of it. So, but it has
(03:16):
great industrial You can make any literally anything out of it,
clothing and play plastics, and make wood products out of it.
So there's a lot of industrial uses for it. I
mean that even is there even a need to regulate
it just because it looks like marijuana? I mean, what's
the story on hemp relative to marijuana?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Text? So the issue there is sore familiar with, like
the Delta eight or the types of intoxicating THHC products
which are hemp derived. Sometimes in some cases they're synthesized.
You know, there are some fairly intoxicating products that are
very accessible to get right now in gas station's convenience stores,
okay and the like.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So they're concentrating. They're concentrating the low level hamp it's
like less than three percent I suppose in hemp, and
they're taking that in constant trading it into something that
is well obviously much more capable of getting someone intoxicated.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Correct, So that under the Farm Bill past several years
ago in DC, it actually legalized all these different hemp
products with the standard you know, you can't have more
total THHD than point zero three percent by dry weight.
You know, there are a lot of technicalities technicalities involved
in that. But the issue that we're seeing is there
are intoxicating products that are readily readily available, but under
(04:29):
federal law, the recreational adult use cannabis products and any
of these intoxicating hemp rite products are two totally different products.
So these are federally legal. And I think we all
agree there are issues. We don't want kids being able
to walk into a gas station and buy like a
THHD evate, But I think some of the proposals to
address that we're also kind of an over correction and
(04:51):
when end up harming a lot of small businesses that
do want to play by the roles and accept that
there is a need for regulation. And some quality controls
and to make sure kids aren't getting these things. But
finding the right balance between addressing the safety issue and
also not putting a whole lot of people out of business.
That's that's another another area where it's easier said than dons.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Well, I'll tell you what Tex sexless pause if you
don't mind, will hold you over and bring you back
to talk a little bit more about what's being proposed
and why you know in some cases you're against it
or in favor of it more with Representative Tex Fisher.
We'll take a break care but back in just a
few brief few minutes. Hang in old dot com. Let's
say forty here, forty five care City Talk Station round
Thomas Fish and everyone are very happy, happy Monday, and
(05:32):
welcoming to the fifty five Carrece Morning Show for Ohio's day.
Representative Texts Fisher. Tex Fisher represents District fifty nine. Happens
to be the youngest selected official in State of Ohiot
least from the House of Representatives. Tex. Good to have
you on the fifty five cares In morning show. My friend, welcome,
oh thank you for having me twenty nine years old.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Have I got that right, Yes, sir.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Wow, it's an amazing accomplishment and congratulations on reaching that
lofty goal at such a young age, and you are
fighting to protect what we voted for and overwhelming numbers.
Here in the state of Ohio that was an issue too.
November twenty three, fifty seven percent of Ohioans voted yes
to legalize recreational cannabis use in marijuana use in the
state of Ohio, and immediately it was actually mostly driven
(06:16):
by the Republicans side of the ledger, although you may
know some Democrats who are trying to change the law,
but this wasn't a constitutional amendment, so the legislative brands
can make changes to what we passed by overwhelming majority.
What are they trying to do? You're in opposition to
some of these changes. What are the proposals? What types
of changes are being thrown around in Columbus right now?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Tech Yeah, I think so. The bill has made admittedly
a lot of progress I think in the right direction.
So we're talking about a Senate Bill fifty six. I
was introduced at the ginning of the year and moved
pretty quickly through the Senate, and then as I got
to the House, a lot of changes have been made,
so I still have not seen the most up to
date version of the bill, but I do know that
(06:59):
has moved moved in a pretty significantly positive direction in
terms of respecting the will of the voters, and I
think the goal of what myself and some of the
other folks working on this is we really want this
to be more of an implementation of issue too, because
there are a lot of language in the battle initiative
was kind of insufficient. It was a little bit vague.
It didn't give I think the proper guardrails to the
(07:21):
administrative folks at the Division of Cannabis Control to really
implement the legal cannabis market in a way that makes
sense and is pro business. So that's what I'm looking for.
I think it's making a lot of progress in that direction,
but ultimately we weren't entirely there. I think there are
definitely some folks that want to see things more restricted,
and I certainly understand where they're coming from, but that's
not what the people voted for. So I think our
(07:43):
job is to try to find the right balance of
making sure we're protecting the intent of what the voters
passed an issue too, while also making it a little
bit easier for those folks to do business, and also
addressing the hemp issue in a smart and reasonable way,
because I think that was another big sticking point for
myself and some other folks on the Republican side of
the legislature that we want to make sure that whatever
we do on these is the right thing to do
(08:04):
and not just passing something so we can say we
passed something and then end up just you know, and
ending up with a constitutional amendment that we can't change,
which is just going to waste a whole lot of
everyone's time and money. And I think we can do
this the right way, and so respect to all of
the voters.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Well, now, is there a division or like a distinction
being drawn between hemp and marijuana? Is that one of
the things that's being bandied about and argued over, because
you know, hemp, to me is is just an industrial product.
You can't get high on it. And I remember one
politician saying this self respecting dope d would even be
caught smoking hemp. I mean, it's an exercise and futility
to get high off of it. So but it has
(08:40):
great industrial You can make any literally anything out of it,
clothing and play plastics and make wood products out of it.
So there's a lot of industrial uses for it. I
mean that is there even a need to regulate it
just because it looks like marijuana? I mean, what's the
story on hemp relative to marijuana tech.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
So the issue there is so familiar with like the
Delta eight or the types of intoxicating THHD products which
are hemp derived. Sometimes in some cases they're synthesized. You know,
there are there are some fairly intoxicating products that are
very accessible to get right now in gas station's, convenience
stores and the like.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
So they're they're concentrating the low level hemp it's like
less than three percent I suppose in hemp, and they're
taking that and concentrating into something that is well obviously
much more the capable of getting someone intoxicated.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Correct, So that under the Farm Bill passed several years
ago in DC, it actually legalized all these different hemp
products with the standard you know, you can't have more
total THHD than point zero three percent by dry weight.
You know, there are a lot of technicalities technicalities involved
in that. But the issue that we're seeing is there
are intoxicating hemp products that are readily readily available, but
(09:53):
under federal law, the recreational adult use cannabis products and
any of these intoxicating hemp drive products are two totally
different products, so these are federally legal, and I think
we all agree there are issues. We don't want kids
being able to walk into a gas station and buy
like a thhcvate, but I think some of the proposals
to address that we're also kind of an over correction
(10:15):
and when end up harming a lot of small businesses
that do want to play by the roles and accept
that there is a need for regulation and some quality
controls and to make sure the kids aren't getting these things.
But finding the right balance between addressing the safety issue
and also not putting a whole lot of people out
of business. That's that's another another area where it's easier
said than dons.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Well, I'll tell you what tex Sexlist pause if you
don't mind, will hold you over and bring you back
to talk a little bit more about what's being proposed
and why you know in some cases you're against it
or in favor of it. More with representative text Fisher,
we'll take a break care, but back in just a
few brief few minutes.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Hang in fifty five KRC.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Beauterbul company that provides quality roofing and repairs. Call seven
seven four ninety four ninety five one more time with
the Jena nine weather forecast. A mostly cloddy, partly clotty
day to day, isolated swarms most likely to the south
of the Ohio River from the city. Eighty six for
a high overnight lowis seventy but he partly cloudy and muggy.
Partly cloudy, muggy again Marrow, it's scattered afternoons showers eighty.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Eight for the high.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Overnight lois seventy two, again partly cloudy and muggy, and
on Wednesday, showers are possible. To remain humid. It'll be
a high of eighty eight seventy four. Right now, time
for final traffic chuck.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Ingram Probably you see how Traffic Center that U see
how Brain Treamor Center finds answers for some of the
most complex brain tumors. Learn more at U see help
dot com cruise continue to work with an accident on
southbound seventy five at the ramp to Sharon Road, right
side of the highways blocked off. You can still use
the ramp northbound seventy five. Prankvides continue above seventy four
(11:45):
through to Town Street. There's a wreck on Glenway and
Muddy Creek. Chuck Ingram on fifty five KRC, the talk station.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Hey forty nine, come er E fifty fifty five KR
City talk station. Greg Thomas with represented a text fissure
here from the state of Ohio. Republican at a District
fifty nine with some ideas about protecting our rights to
access marijuana pursue into the twenty twenty three issue too.
Fifty seven percent of US voted to legalize marijuana. One
of the things that sounds like they're going back to
(12:16):
our hemp discussion, the idea that yeah, hemp is hemp,
and you can't get high on it. But they know
they back and behind the scenes they can process this
into something that is intoxicating, and it's being sold in
you know, places outside of licensed marijuana dispensaries. You know,
you got your state licensed you know shops, and then
you've got your grocery stores, your smoke shops and all that.
Isn't there an age limit already in place? Text fissure
(12:39):
that prevents young people from buying it, assuming that the
various shops that it's sold at are karting or otherwise
following the law, so not necessarily.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
So that's the issue that we're dealing with here, And
is this is just it's sort of a wild last
right now. Yeah, And I think that's that's an area
of cause, an area of concern for pretty much everybody.
For us the aisle, the issue is, you know, are
we going to overregulate these products to the point where
you put a lot of people out of business? Because
of course, like any industry, there are bad actors in
this space, but there are also a lot of good
people that are following the law, that are invested a
(13:12):
lot of money just trying to make a living. And
I think whatever we need to do needs to try
to strike the appropriate balance of safety and also being
pro business and respecting the fact that if we were
to ban these products at the state level in Ohio
put these people in Ohio out of business. People just
go on the internet by the exact same stuff, and
we'd have no ability to control it, no ability to
test it, to regulate it. So it's you know, it's
(13:33):
the reality of you know, we may not like something,
or some folks may not like something, but if they
can get it, why don't we just accept that we
want to push them into a market. Kind of similar
to the conversation about legalizing marijuana. Is if people were getting, buying, smoking,
and jesting marijuana before it was legal, we all understand that.
But now that we have a legal market, I think
they have a lot of good people in that space
that are making sure these products are as safe as
they can be and have a lot of quality controls
(13:55):
and safety controls, And I think that's the appropriate balance
we need to try to find, is the reality if
people get these stuff this stuff on the internet. But
whatever we do, we should also encourage people to buy
Ohio based products and sport ohio hemp farmers.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Yeah, and if there's a reason to buy an Ohio
based product, for example, it's been tests that it doesn't
have any you know, funguses or things growing in it
and it is safe. I guess maybe part of this
conversation about this delta eight which is derived from this
low level THCHC hemp, is is it the same thing
as marijuana in terms of the dangers or harm it
might present. Is that a separate discussion that's going on.
(14:30):
Is it sort of a horse of a different color
as compared to marijuana and the intoxicating THHC marijuana.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yeah, I think so. And I think the big issue
we have is quality control. And I think that there's
some folks in the marijuana industry, and I think their
right to believe this is that there are some of
these retailers and not necessarily the faults of the retailers.
So some of these producers that are selling these products
labeled as Delta eight and they're just not there's probably
access marijuana from another state that they process and pass
(14:59):
off because they can sell it to a much larger
market outside of dispensaries. So I think number one something
that we need to do is make sure that whatever
testing regime we include for these HEAP products is to
be able to ensure that these are in fact he
derived THHC products and not marijuana prepackaged or a different label.
So that's one of the things that I've been pushing for.
I don't think there's a whole lot of opposition of that.
(15:22):
It's just a matter of, you know, what does the
retail regime look like, and how burdenson is this regular
regime going to be? And you know, we still want
to make sure that we're allowing these people to stay
in business with just you know, the common sense guardrails
we all agree on. Kids shouldn't be able to buy it,
you know, maybe you shouldn't be able to go into
a gas station and buy a pre roll joint or something,
and things like that. Maybe that's the starting point and
(15:42):
the common ground that we all have. But there's a
lot more to it, and session a tricky issue.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
So much and so much more as being learned each
and every day about marijuana it's impact on society. Is
it really less harmful than alcohol? Because every time we
have a discussion like this text Fisher, I just keep
thinking of alcohol. Hell, you can go literally anywhere and
not literally, but there's beer is for sale, wine is
for sale all over the place. They do it in
convenience stores, they do it in you know, liquor stores.
(16:07):
It's like, well, if you can manage, that's why is
this so extra complicated? Doesn't something it should be? I
got a real quick for part company day tex fissure.
The tax revenue was specifically defined and broken up to
four different categories where the money goes right, Social Equity Fund,
you know, to help people disproportionately impacted by marijuana laws,
(16:29):
to host cities that have dispensaries, the state's Mental and
Addiction Service Department, and three percent goes to the state's
Cannabis Control Department. Is there an effort to change that
where the tax dollars the generated dollars go or is
that going to stay the way it is in the law.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
So the tax dollar the tax dollar provisions. That was
another point of contention. I think the original bill as
introduced in the Senate, would have removed any any share
for local governments to the local communities that host these
dispensary is really remove their stake in their tax revenue.
So while the rest of the categories this did get
resolved in the budget, we were thankfully able to retain
(17:09):
that thirty six percent for the host communities in perpetuity
in the operating budget, which was a big win for
I think a lot of us in the House that
really felt strongly that we shouldn't be taking these dollars
away from these local communities, and a lot of time
and a lot of senses, these folks agreed to have
the dispensaries on the sole condition of, well, we're going
to get revenue and that's going to be enough for
us to put the squad car or you know, another
(17:30):
hire another firefighter, real important stuff. But we were able
to preserve that the rest of the money moving forward
will be just directed in the states general revenue find
but the local dollars. That was a big point of contention,
and that was another thing that I was fighting for
and really grateful a lot of the other folks in
the house. We're able to get that done for us.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
State represented tex Fissure. That makes perfect sense. The reason
we have a dispensary in our neighborhood is because we
were promised thirty six percent of the revenue. So yes,
appreciate you moving to protect that one. The text has
been it's been great having on the show, and to
the extent you make any further progress or have more
developments on this, you have an welcome spot here on
the fifty five KRC Morning Show. So keep up the
great work. Tax Fisher. It's been good having you on
the show.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Thank you, Thank you, sir. Take fifty six fifty five
Krcity talk Station Smith Event. When you can't listen live,
go to fifty five krs dot com to the podcast.
We talked with Brian James Money Monday, the tariffs and
the inflation and what Jerome Powell gonna do. He's in
a bit of an undrum's my conversation there with Tex Fisher.
Thank you Sean mc mann for covering for the vacationing
Joe's director today. Brother. I appreciate the work that you
(18:30):
did today, folks. I hope you have a wonderful day.
Tune in tomorrow for the Daniel Davis Deep Dive and
the Bright Bart Inside Scoop, and don't go away because
Glennbeck is next. President Trump made clear that a peaceful
resolution was possible if I Ran agreed to give up
its nuclear weapons ambitions. Another updates at the top of
the hour. Fifty five KRZ the talkstation.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
This report is sponsored by RAP
It's say forty here fifty five Carsey Talks station around
Thomas Fish and everybode a very happy, happy Monday, and
welcoming to the fifty five KRSSE Morning Show. We're Ohio's day.
Representative Tex Fisher. Tex Fisher represents District fifty nine. Happens
to be the youngest selected official in the state of Ohio,
at least from the House of Representatives tax Good to
have you on the fifty five Carson Morning Show, My friend, welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Oh thank you for having me twenty nine years old.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Have I got that right? Yes, sir, well, it's an
amazing accomplishment and congratulations on reaching that lofty goal at
such a young age. And you are fighting to protect
what we voted for and overwhelming numbers here in the
state of Ohio. That was an issue too. November twenty three,
fifty seven percent of Ohioans voted yes to legalize recreational
(00:47):
cannabis use in marijuana use in the state of Ohio,
and immediately it was actually mostly driven by the Republicans
side of the ledger, although you may know some Democrats
who are trying to change the law, but this wasn't
a constitutional amendment. So the legislative brand can make changes
to what we passed by overwhelming majority. What are they
trying to do? You're in opposition to some of these changes.
(01:08):
What are the proposals? What types of changes are being
thrown around in Columbus right now?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Tex Yeah, I think so. The bill has made admittedly
a lot of progress, I think in the right direction.
So we're talking about a Senate Bill fifty six I
was introduced at the beginning of the year and moved
pretty quickly through the Senate, and then as I got
to the House, a lot of changes have been made.
So I still have not seen the most up to
date version of the bill, but I do know that
(01:35):
has moved in a pretty significantly positive direction in terms
of respecting the world of voters. And I think the
goal of what myself and some of the other folks
working on this is we really want this to be
more of an implementation of issue too, because there are
a lot of language in the BAT initiative was kind
of insufficient, It was a little bit vague. It didn't
give I think the proper guardrails to the administrative folks
(01:58):
at the Division of Cannabis controlled really implement the legal
cannabis market in a way that makes sense and is
pro business, So that's what I'm looking for. I think
it's making a lot of progress in that direction, but
ultimately we weren't entirely there. I think there are definitely
some folks that want to see things more restricted, and
I certainly you know, understand where they're coming from, but
that's not what the people voted for. So I think
(02:19):
our job is to try to find the right balance
of making sure we're protecting the intent of what the
voters passed an issue too, while also making it a
little bit easier for those folks to do business, and
also addressing the hemp issue in a smart and reasonable way,
because I think that was another big sticking point for
myself and some other folks on the Republican side of
the legislature that we want to make sure that whatever
we do on these is the right thing to do,
(02:40):
and not just passing something so we can say we
passed something and then end up just you know, and
ending up with a constitutional amendment that we can't change,
which is just going to waste a whole lot of
everyone's time and money. And I think we can do
this the right way and so respectable of the voters.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Well, now is there a division or like a distinction
being drawn between hemp and marijuana? Is that one of
the things that's being bandied about and argued over because
you know, hemp, to me is is just an industrial product.
You can't get high on it. And I remember one
politician saying, no self respecting dope d would even be
caught smoking hemp. I mean, it's an exercise and futility
to get high off of it. So, but it has
(03:16):
great industrial You can make any literally anything out of it,
clothing and play plastics, and make wood products out of it.
So there's a lot of industrial uses for it. I
mean that even is there even a need to regulate
it just because it looks like marijuana? I mean, what's
the story on hemp relative to marijuana?
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Text? So the issue there is sore familiar with, like
the Delta eight or the types of intoxicating THHC products
which are hemp derived. Sometimes in some cases they're synthesized.
You know, there are some fairly intoxicating products that are
very accessible to get right now in gas station's convenience stores,
okay and the like.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
So they're concentrating. They're concentrating the low level hamp it's
like less than three percent I suppose in hemp, and
they're taking that in constant trading it into something that
is well obviously much more capable of getting someone intoxicated.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Correct, So that under the Farm Bill past several years
ago in DC, it actually legalized all these different hemp
products with the standard you know, you can't have more
total THHD than point zero three percent by dry weight.
You know, there are a lot of technicalities technicalities involved
in that. But the issue that we're seeing is there
are intoxicating products that are readily readily available, but under
(04:29):
federal law, the recreational adult use cannabis products and any
of these intoxicating hemp rite products are two totally different products.
So these are federally legal. And I think we all
agree there are issues. We don't want kids being able
to walk into a gas station and buy like a
THHD evate, But I think some of the proposals to
address that we're also kind of an over correction and
(04:51):
when end up harming a lot of small businesses that
do want to play by the roles and accept that
there is a need for regulation. And some quality controls
and to make sure kids aren't getting these things. But
finding the right balance between addressing the safety issue and
also not putting a whole lot of people out of business.
That's that's another another area where it's easier said than dons.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Well, I'll tell you what Tex sexless pause if you
don't mind, will hold you over and bring you back
to talk a little bit more about what's being proposed
and why you know in some cases you're against it
or in favor of it more with Representative Tex Fisher.
We'll take a break care but back in just a
few brief few minutes. Hang in old dot com. Let's
say forty here, forty five care City Talk Station round
Thomas Fish and everyone are very happy, happy Monday, and
(05:32):
welcoming to the fifty five Carrece Morning Show for Ohio's day.
Representative Texts Fisher. Tex Fisher represents District fifty nine. Happens
to be the youngest selected official in State of Ohiot
least from the House of Representatives. Tex. Good to have
you on the fifty five cares In morning show. My friend, welcome,
oh thank you for having me twenty nine years old.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Have I got that right, Yes, sir.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Wow, it's an amazing accomplishment and congratulations on reaching that
lofty goal at such a young age, and you are
fighting to protect what we voted for and overwhelming numbers.
Here in the state of Ohio that was an issue too.
November twenty three, fifty seven percent of Ohioans voted yes
to legalize recreational cannabis use in marijuana use in the
state of Ohio, and immediately it was actually mostly driven
(06:16):
by the Republicans side of the ledger, although you may
know some Democrats who are trying to change the law,
but this wasn't a constitutional amendment, so the legislative brands
can make changes to what we passed by overwhelming majority.
What are they trying to do? You're in opposition to
some of these changes. What are the proposals? What types
of changes are being thrown around in Columbus right now?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Tech Yeah, I think so. The bill has made admittedly
a lot of progress I think in the right direction.
So we're talking about a Senate Bill fifty six. I
was introduced at the ginning of the year and moved
pretty quickly through the Senate, and then as I got
to the House, a lot of changes have been made,
so I still have not seen the most up to
date version of the bill, but I do know that
(06:59):
has moved moved in a pretty significantly positive direction in
terms of respecting the will of the voters, and I
think the goal of what myself and some of the
other folks working on this is we really want this
to be more of an implementation of issue too, because
there are a lot of language in the battle initiative
was kind of insufficient. It was a little bit vague.
It didn't give I think the proper guardrails to the
(07:21):
administrative folks at the Division of Cannabis Control to really
implement the legal cannabis market in a way that makes
sense and is pro business. So that's what I'm looking for.
I think it's making a lot of progress in that direction,
but ultimately we weren't entirely there. I think there are
definitely some folks that want to see things more restricted,
and I certainly understand where they're coming from, but that's
not what the people voted for. So I think our
(07:43):
job is to try to find the right balance of
making sure we're protecting the intent of what the voters
passed an issue too, while also making it a little
bit easier for those folks to do business, and also
addressing the hemp issue in a smart and reasonable way,
because I think that was another big sticking point for
myself and some other folks on the Republican side of
the legislature that we want to make sure that whatever
we do on these is the right thing to do
(08:04):
and not just passing something so we can say we
passed something and then end up just you know, and
ending up with a constitutional amendment that we can't change,
which is just going to waste a whole lot of
everyone's time and money. And I think we can do
this the right way, and so respect to all of
the voters.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Well, now, is there a division or like a distinction
being drawn between hemp and marijuana? Is that one of
the things that's being bandied about and argued over, because
you know, hemp, to me is is just an industrial product.
You can't get high on it. And I remember one
politician saying this self respecting dope d would even be
caught smoking hemp. I mean, it's an exercise and futility
to get high off of it. So but it has
(08:40):
great industrial You can make any literally anything out of it,
clothing and play plastics and make wood products out of it.
So there's a lot of industrial uses for it. I
mean that is there even a need to regulate it
just because it looks like marijuana? I mean, what's the
story on hemp relative to marijuana tech.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
So the issue there is so familiar with like the
Delta eight or the types of intoxicating THHD products which
are hemp derived. Sometimes in some cases they're synthesized. You know,
there are there are some fairly intoxicating products that are
very accessible to get right now in gas station's, convenience
stores and the like.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
So they're they're concentrating the low level hemp it's like
less than three percent I suppose in hemp, and they're
taking that and concentrating into something that is well obviously
much more the capable of getting someone intoxicated.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Correct, So that under the Farm Bill passed several years
ago in DC, it actually legalized all these different hemp
products with the standard you know, you can't have more
total THHD than point zero three percent by dry weight.
You know, there are a lot of technicalities technicalities involved
in that. But the issue that we're seeing is there
are intoxicating hemp products that are readily readily available, but
(09:53):
under federal law, the recreational adult use cannabis products and
any of these intoxicating hemp drive products are two totally
different products, so these are federally legal, and I think
we all agree there are issues. We don't want kids
being able to walk into a gas station and buy
like a thhcvate, but I think some of the proposals
to address that we're also kind of an over correction
(10:15):
and when end up harming a lot of small businesses
that do want to play by the roles and accept
that there is a need for regulation and some quality
controls and to make sure the kids aren't getting these things.
But finding the right balance between addressing the safety issue
and also not putting a whole lot of people out
of business. That's that's another another area where it's easier
said than dons.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Well, I'll tell you what tex Sexlist pause if you
don't mind, will hold you over and bring you back
to talk a little bit more about what's being proposed
and why you know in some cases you're against it
or in favor of it. More with representative text Fisher,
we'll take a break care, but back in just a
few brief few minutes.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Hang in fifty five KRC.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Beauterbul company that provides quality roofing and repairs. Call seven
seven four ninety four ninety five one more time with
the Jena nine weather forecast. A mostly cloddy, partly clotty
day to day, isolated swarms most likely to the south
of the Ohio River from the city. Eighty six for
a high overnight lowis seventy but he partly cloudy and muggy.
Partly cloudy, muggy again Marrow, it's scattered afternoons showers eighty.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Eight for the high.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Overnight lois seventy two, again partly cloudy and muggy, and
on Wednesday, showers are possible. To remain humid. It'll be
a high of eighty eight seventy four. Right now, time
for final traffic chuck.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Ingram Probably you see how Traffic Center that U see
how Brain Treamor Center finds answers for some of the
most complex brain tumors. Learn more at U see help
dot com cruise continue to work with an accident on
southbound seventy five at the ramp to Sharon Road, right
side of the highways blocked off. You can still use
the ramp northbound seventy five. Prankvides continue above seventy four
(11:45):
through to Town Street. There's a wreck on Glenway and
Muddy Creek. Chuck Ingram on fifty five KRC, the talk station.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Hey forty nine, come er E fifty fifty five KR
City talk station. Greg Thomas with represented a text fissure
here from the state of Ohio. Republican at a District
fifty nine with some ideas about protecting our rights to
access marijuana pursue into the twenty twenty three issue too.
Fifty seven percent of US voted to legalize marijuana. One
of the things that sounds like they're going back to
(12:16):
our hemp discussion, the idea that yeah, hemp is hemp,
and you can't get high on it. But they know
they back and behind the scenes they can process this
into something that is intoxicating, and it's being sold in
you know, places outside of licensed marijuana dispensaries. You know,
you got your state licensed you know shops, and then
you've got your grocery stores, your smoke shops and all that.
Isn't there an age limit already in place? Text fissure
(12:39):
that prevents young people from buying it, assuming that the
various shops that it's sold at are karting or otherwise
following the law, so not necessarily.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
So that's the issue that we're dealing with here, And
is this is just it's sort of a wild last
right now. Yeah, And I think that's that's an area
of cause, an area of concern for pretty much everybody.
For us the aisle, the issue is, you know, are
we going to overregulate these products to the point where
you put a lot of people out of business? Because
of course, like any industry, there are bad actors in
this space, but there are also a lot of good
people that are following the law, that are invested a
(13:12):
lot of money just trying to make a living. And
I think whatever we need to do needs to try
to strike the appropriate balance of safety and also being
pro business and respecting the fact that if we were
to ban these products at the state level in Ohio
put these people in Ohio out of business. People just
go on the internet by the exact same stuff, and
we'd have no ability to control it, no ability to
test it, to regulate it. So it's you know, it's
(13:33):
the reality of you know, we may not like something,
or some folks may not like something, but if they
can get it, why don't we just accept that we
want to push them into a market. Kind of similar
to the conversation about legalizing marijuana. Is if people were getting, buying, smoking,
and jesting marijuana before it was legal, we all understand that.
But now that we have a legal market, I think
they have a lot of good people in that space
that are making sure these products are as safe as
they can be and have a lot of quality controls
(13:55):
and safety controls, And I think that's the appropriate balance
we need to try to find, is the reality if
people get these stuff this stuff on the internet. But
whatever we do, we should also encourage people to buy
Ohio based products and sport ohio hemp farmers.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Yeah, and if there's a reason to buy an Ohio
based product, for example, it's been tests that it doesn't
have any you know, funguses or things growing in it
and it is safe. I guess maybe part of this
conversation about this delta eight which is derived from this
low level THCHC hemp, is is it the same thing
as marijuana in terms of the dangers or harm it
might present. Is that a separate discussion that's going on.
(14:30):
Is it sort of a horse of a different color
as compared to marijuana and the intoxicating THHC marijuana.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Yeah, I think so. And I think the big issue
we have is quality control. And I think that there's
some folks in the marijuana industry, and I think their
right to believe this is that there are some of
these retailers and not necessarily the faults of the retailers.
So some of these producers that are selling these products
labeled as Delta eight and they're just not there's probably
access marijuana from another state that they process and pass
(14:59):
off because they can sell it to a much larger
market outside of dispensaries. So I think number one something
that we need to do is make sure that whatever
testing regime we include for these HEAP products is to
be able to ensure that these are in fact he
derived THHC products and not marijuana prepackaged or a different label.
So that's one of the things that I've been pushing for.
I don't think there's a whole lot of opposition of that.
(15:22):
It's just a matter of, you know, what does the
retail regime look like, and how burdenson is this regular
regime going to be? And you know, we still want
to make sure that we're allowing these people to stay
in business with just you know, the common sense guardrails
we all agree on. Kids shouldn't be able to buy it,
you know, maybe you shouldn't be able to go into
a gas station and buy a pre roll joint or something,
and things like that. Maybe that's the starting point and
(15:42):
the common ground that we all have. But there's a
lot more to it, and session a tricky issue.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
So much and so much more as being learned each
and every day about marijuana it's impact on society. Is
it really less harmful than alcohol? Because every time we
have a discussion like this text Fisher, I just keep
thinking of alcohol. Hell, you can go literally anywhere and
not literally, but there's beer is for sale, wine is
for sale all over the place. They do it in
convenience stores, they do it in you know, liquor stores.
(16:07):
It's like, well, if you can manage, that's why is
this so extra complicated? Doesn't something it should be? I
got a real quick for part company day tex fissure.
The tax revenue was specifically defined and broken up to
four different categories where the money goes right, Social Equity Fund,
you know, to help people disproportionately impacted by marijuana laws,
(16:29):
to host cities that have dispensaries, the state's Mental and
Addiction Service Department, and three percent goes to the state's
Cannabis Control Department. Is there an effort to change that
where the tax dollars the generated dollars go or is
that going to stay the way it is in the law.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
So the tax dollar the tax dollar provisions. That was
another point of contention. I think the original bill as
introduced in the Senate, would have removed any any share
for local governments to the local communities that host these
dispensary is really remove their stake in their tax revenue.
So while the rest of the categories this did get
resolved in the budget, we were thankfully able to retain
(17:09):
that thirty six percent for the host communities in perpetuity
in the operating budget, which was a big win for
I think a lot of us in the House that
really felt strongly that we shouldn't be taking these dollars
away from these local communities, and a lot of time
and a lot of senses, these folks agreed to have
the dispensaries on the sole condition of, well, we're going
to get revenue and that's going to be enough for
us to put the squad car or you know, another
(17:30):
hire another firefighter, real important stuff. But we were able
to preserve that the rest of the money moving forward
will be just directed in the states general revenue find
but the local dollars. That was a big point of contention,
and that was another thing that I was fighting for
and really grateful a lot of the other folks in
the house. We're able to get that done for us.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
State represented tex Fissure. That makes perfect sense. The reason
we have a dispensary in our neighborhood is because we
were promised thirty six percent of the revenue. So yes,
appreciate you moving to protect that one. The text has
been it's been great having on the show, and to
the extent you make any further progress or have more
developments on this, you have an welcome spot here on
the fifty five KRC Morning Show. So keep up the
great work. Tax Fisher. It's been good having you on
the show.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Thank you, Thank you, sir. Take fifty six fifty five
Krcity talk Station Smith Event. When you can't listen live,
go to fifty five krs dot com to the podcast.
We talked with Brian James Money Monday, the tariffs and
the inflation and what Jerome Powell gonna do. He's in
a bit of an undrum's my conversation there with Tex Fisher.
Thank you Sean mc mann for covering for the vacationing
Joe's director today. Brother. I appreciate the work that you
(18:30):
did today, folks. I hope you have a wonderful day.
Tune in tomorrow for the Daniel Davis Deep Dive and
the Bright Bart Inside Scoop, and don't go away because
Glennbeck is next. President Trump made clear that a peaceful
resolution was possible if I Ran agreed to give up
its nuclear weapons ambitions. Another updates at the top of
the hour. Fifty five KRZ the talkstation.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
This report is sponsored by RAP
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