COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The owner of a Clintonville store selling cannabis-related products says Ohio lawmakers need to learn more about what they may be trying to ban.

Joe Brennan of Columbus Botanical Depot said his store focuses on several products made from hemp and primarily cannabidiol — commonly called CBD — and that if lawmakers target his industry, as Gov. Mike DeWine called them to do recently, there’s a lot for them to learn first.

During a news conference on Jan. 5, DeWine set his sights on what he referred to as “intoxicating hemp.” Rather than suggesting regulations around these types of products, the governor said such products should be banned.

“It is intoxicating, it is something that needs to be banned, and again, the legislature could ban it,” DeWine said.

DeWine argued for his proposed ban on intoxicating hemp, stating that kids aged “12, 13, 14, any age” can walk into stores to buy the products. In addition, DeWine called the products hallucinogenic, a term that typically refers to psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin.

Brennan said intoxicating hemp is an umbrella term. It typically refers to inhalable or ingestible consumer goods that have a high-inducing active ingredient derived or processed from hemp, like Delta-8 THC or Delta-10 THC. Although CBD is commonly derived from hemp, it’s a different product that would not fall under the label as it does not produce a psychoactive effect.

These products cause a high similar to marijuana’s but have been legal in Ohio because of a loophole in a 2018 farm bill.

“A lot of people refer to it as the Bud Light of Budweiser,” Brennan said, “meaning real THC would be the Budweiser. Delta-8 would be the Bud Light.”

The analogy means products like Delta-8 cause about half of the psychoactive effects that THC produces. Brennan said the science behind the products can be confusing. He said even within the industry, there is a lot of confusion around these compounds, what they do and the legality of them.

There are certain products Brennan refuses to carry.

“There’s just so many different ones that are considered intoxicating. … They’re showing up in a lot of these stores, and they’re not exactly natural from the plant,” Brennan said. “Just because they’re, quote-unquote, from hemp, they’re making it legal to be sold in stores like mine and elsewhere. I do not support those compounds.”

As for the products being sold to minors, Brennan said he’s unaware of that happening, especially in licensed stores. The age limit for CBD products is 18, with THC products having an age limit of 21.

“Anyone that has a store that sells these items isn’t going to risk their license to sell these items to a minor,” Brennan said. “That’s just unheard of in this industry.”

In addition to specialty stores, the products are also available at vape stores where minors are not allowed to enter without an adult, and some gas stations.

Finally, Brennan said hemp products are not hallucinogenic, as DeWine said.

“There is no hallucinogenic experience ever reported with cannabis,” Brennan said.