Tag: ohio

New Ohio Senate Bill Would Ban Sale Of Intoxicating Hemp Products To People Under 21

Ohio state Sen. Bill DeMora (D) recently introduced a bill that would ban the sale of intoxicating hemp products to people under 21. Unlike some others that have been introduced, this bill would focus solely on hemp and not on changing voter-passed marijuana law.

Ohio Senate Bill 266 would also ban the sale of intoxicating hemp products that have not been tested under the same rules as marijuana and would prevent selling intoxicating hemp products that are “considered attractive to children,” according to the bill’s language.

This bill would prohibit selling an intoxicating hemp product “that bears the likeness or contains the characteristics of a realistic or fictional human, animal, or fruit, including artistic, caricature, or cartoon renderings,” according to the bill’s language.

“I put this bill in to get rid of the stuff that everybody agrees is bad,” Columbus Democratic state Sen. DeMora said. “Everybody agrees [intoxicating hemp products are] targeted to children to look like Skittles and Oreo cookies and that it’s unregulated… We need to act because this stuff is poisoning kids [and] making kids sick.”

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) has previously asked lawmakers to regulate or ban delta-8 THC products.

“It’s a huge problem,” DeWine said talking to reporters on Monday. “There’s really no regulation at all. We need regulation. We need the legislature to take action on this. We’re also looking, frankly, at some things that I might be able to do without legislative action.”

DeMora thinks marijuana and hemp products should be dealt with separately.

“Hopefully this bill will, if nothing else, we can all agree on one thing—to get the bad stuff out of the hands of kids and stop the marketing toward kids,” he said.

The 2018 Farm Bill says hemp can be grown legally if it contains less than 0.3 percent THC.

Ohio is one of about 20 states that does not have any regulations around intoxicating hemp products, according to an Ohio State University Drug Enforcement and Policy Center study from November 2024.

This is one of a handful of bills in the Ohio legislature that are trying to regulate intoxicating hemp products.

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How a 24-year-old illegal migrant dad was caught posing as high school kid in the US — through one phone call

To the residents of Perrysburg, Ohio, his school pals and the guardians who welcomed him in, Anthony Emmanuel Labrador-Sierra was a 16-year-old human trafficking victim.

There was one problem.

He was really 24 years old and had a baby with his ex-fiancée a town over in Toledo.

His scheme worked for over a year, with authorities falling for a birth certificate he produced shaving six years off his age.

Then one night, Evelyn Camacho, 22, mother of Labrador-Sierra’s daughter, called the house where he was living.

His new guardians, a couple in their 60s named Kathy and Brad Mefferd, answered.

“I was questioning what the truth was,” said Camacho. “Did he lie to me about being an adult? Or did he lie to them about being a child? I didn’t know what was going on. And I care about him. He’s the father of my daughter,” she told The Post.

The Mefferds called the school, which in turn called the police. They also searched his room and made unsettling discoveries including a burner cellphone, fake ID, a semiautomatic pistol and three loaded 9mm magazines, according to an arrest affidavit.

Labrador-Sierra has since pleaded guilty to lying on immigration forms and on an application to purchase a firearm.

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University of Cincinnati has removed the TPUSA chapter from campus suddenly with no explanation

University of Cincinnati removes TPUSA chapter from campus suddenly with no explanation

Controversy is once again shaking the American university system. This time, the University of Cincinnati has abruptly removed the student chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) from its campus, offering no official explanation. The decision has sparked outrage among conservative students, who argue this is nothing more than ideological retaliation against those who dare to think differently in an environment dominated by progressive policies.

The chapter’s president confirmed that they received an email notifying them of their immediate removal as an officially recognized student organization. But the blow didn’t stop there: in addition to losing their status on campus, the students are now being forced to pay for the rental of spaces they had already reserved for future events. A double penalty that, according to TPUSA members, illustrates the systematic hostility they face as conservatives within academia.

Being a conservative student at a public university is already difficult, but decisions like this make the situation unbearable. TPUSA members say every step they take is hindered by bureaucracy, ideological pressure, and now financial punishment. The message they receive is clear: conservative ideas are not welcome.

This is not the first time the University of Cincinnati has faced accusations of censorship and retaliation. Just a few years ago, a student was formally charged for using the term “biological woman” in a mandatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) course. For many, that case set a dangerous precedent that is now being repeated with the suppression of TPUSA’s chapter.

The decision has sparked criticism beyond the campus. National conservative voices warn that similar cases are multiplying across the country, as universities push a cancel culture that punishes those who defend principles like free speech, personal responsibility, and traditional values. According to these critics, the academic left seeks to mold students into a single line of thought while eliminating any real space for debate.

What troubles students most is the lack of transparency. No clear reason has been given for the removal, and no appeals process has been offered. For the affected students, this is an abuse of institutional power and clear evidence of political bias at the university. On top of that, imposing extra costs for pre-reserved spaces amounts to financial punishment against a group that had followed all the rules.

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Ohio School Board to Debate Whether Two Teachers Who Mocked Charlie Kirk’s Death Should Be Fired

The Miamisburg school board in Ohio is meeting on Thursday night to debate whether two teachers should remain employed after appearing to mock Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was horrifically assassinated at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. 

Band teacher Steve Aylward allegedly posted a comment on his Facebook page about 31-year-old Kirk’s death, appearing to suggest he called for his own assassination, and social studies teacher Rachel O’Connor was caught on video allegedly telling students Kirk was a “terrible person.” A video of her comments subsequently went viral on social media, WDTN reported. 

Petitions have reportedly been made, both for and against the educators continuing to hold state-funded positions of influence over young minds.

Parent and Miamisburg alum Tony Huey, who had O’Connor as a teacher, created an online petition calling for the teachers to be terminated. He told the local outlet that her remarks about Kirk “isn’t something that shocks me coming from her.” He said many parents like him do not want teachers who make derisive comments about a man who was publicly assassinated influencing their children. He said he hopes the school board makes the right call.

“If they don’t, this is definitely something, you know, I’m going to take further,” he said. “Maybe the next Miamisburg City Council meeting that they have and even further than that if we need to.”

The Miamisburg school board will meet Thursday night at 6 p.m. The public will be given a chance to speak at the end of the meeting.

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Democrat Candidate for Ohio Attorney General Posts ‘F*ck Charlie Kirk’

A Democrat candidate for Ohio Attorney General, Elliot Forhan, celebrated the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on social media.

In a social media post, Forhan — a former state representative, wrote, “Fuck Charlie Kirk.”

He continued, “If you cannot call a bigot a bigot in America, then we do not have the free speech that he pretended to care about.”

Of course, Forhan provided no examples of Kirk displaying bigotry. Nor did the candidate for Ohio’s top law enforcement post express any kind of sympathy for Kirk or his family over the horrific public assassination.

Commenters were not having it.

“You are mean and rude and have no place in public life. Our state is much better without you in elected office. You perpetuate the very things that are ruining the political and civic landscape and that you claim to be opposed to (hate and bullying),” one Facebook commenter responded.

“Not appropriate. Spreading more hatred and division,” another said.

One commented, “Disgusting that people in office think this way. Regardless your stance or political views no one deserves to die for expressing their beliefs. I hope you don’t get voted in because it’s people like you that keep spreading hate and discord very sad in my opinion! God bless America.”

In another post, Forhan shared a New York Times opinion article on his Facebook page with the caption, “Charlie Kirk was a champion of tyranny, not democracy. We should not pretend otherwise.”

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Ohio Republican claims Democratic Party ‘actually killed Charlie’ Kirk

A Republican congressman accused Democrats of killing Charlie Kirk while simultaneously pleading with liberals to ‘lower this rhetoric to a normal place.’

Kirk, 31, the conservative activist founder of Turning Point USA, was shot while speaking at a Utah college last week. Tyler Robinson, 22, is in custody as a suspect in the murder, and the FBI announced on Monday that his DNA has been linked to evidence in the case.

FBI Director Kash Patel said on Monday that investigators were able to retrieve text messages from the shooter, including an exchange ‘in which he claimed that he had an opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and he was going to do it because of his hatred for what Charlie stood for.’

Reports indicate that Robinson’s roommate was a male who was transitioning, and that the bullets in the gun allegedly used to kill Kirk contained, suggesting the reason behind the murder may be political in nature, though authorities have not released a motive.

A major figure on the right, Kirk’s death immediately evoked a buffet of emotions on Capitol Hill, including fear, anger, deep sadness and loss. Both Democrats and Republicans have mourned the young father of two’s passing last week.

Since the public and tragic assassination, lawmakers have also been in a frenzy to tone down the extreme language peddled by politicians on both sides of the aisle.

But some, while calling for calmer political rhetoric, have inflamed the national dialogue.

Rep. Michael Rulli, R-Ohio, went on Fox Business on Monday and said that Democrats are to blame for Kirk’s assassination.

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Ohio School Offical Appears to Coach Parents on Circumventing State Laws to Put Male Trans Student on Girls Team

Accuracy in Media has released a disturbing video that appears to show an Ohio school official coaching parents on how to circumvent laws keeping girls safe by keeping boys out of girls’ sports and spaces.

In 2023, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine vetoed House Bill 68, which sought to prohibit gender-affirming care for minors and to restrict transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ and women’s sports.

Last year, the State Senate voted to override DeWine’s veto.

But that didn’t stop an Ohio school official from brainstorming ways to bypass the law.

The video, shared by Accuracy in Media, shows undercover investigators, posing as prospective parents of a trans student, meeting with Princeton City Schools Assistant Athletic Director Tamette Duckworth.

The video shows Duckworth strategizing with investigators to help the alleged transgender student join the girls’ teams and access female facilities.

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Ohio governor calls kratom an imminent public health risk, pushes for ban

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is urging the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to classify kratom as a Schedule I drug, citing it as an “imminent public health risk” due to its potential dangers, particularly for teenagers and babies.

Kratom, which is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration, is sold in products like the Feel Free drink at gas stations and stores in Ohio and Kentucky.

The governor’s proposal would make Ohio the first state to take such strong action against kratom.

Doctors at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital are raising alarms about its risks.

Dr. Stephanie Merher, a neonatologist, said, “Some of the moms who have taken this and not taken anything else, they have actually needed to go on buprenorphine or methadone to get off of this. It’s that potent.”

She has treated babies exposed in utero who exhibit symptoms similar to opioid withdrawal, including fussiness, tremors and difficulty eating.

Dr. Shan Yin, medical director of the Cincinnati Drug and Poison Information Center, explained that kratom and kava, another ingredient in Feel Free, create a “speedball-like” effect. He noted, “It’s also at this point, unregulated. So, you never know quite what’s in it.”

Feel Free is sold as an herbal product, not a controlled substance, and carries a “21+ only” warning, which the company says it voluntarily implemented. However, that is not required under federal or Ohio law, so anyone can purchase it in the state.

Kentucky lawmakers enacted a 21-plus age limit on kratom last year, while Indiana banned it completely in 2014. Ohio currently has no restrictions.

Earlier in August, Ohio House Minority Leader Dani Isaacson (D) told WLWT he wants to protect kids from the synthetic form form of Kratom known as 7-OH. “You can buy it at convenience stores and gas stations and vape stores in super concentrated forms with no age restrictions. It’s not behind the counter. And so we need to do something about it.”

Botanic Tonics, the maker of Feel Free, disputes the safety concerns, asserting that its product contains only natural, whole-leaf kratom, not the concentrated synthetic form known as 7-OH.

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Columbus Jewish organization reports anti-war protests to police after rise in antisemitism

After the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, antisemitism spiked in central Ohio. Jewish Columbus reported threats and harassment against Jewish people to police, but WOSU found the organization also reported protest activity that was critical of Israel.

Some believe Jewish Columbus’ actions blurred the lines between hate speech and protected speech by reporting both to police. The group defended its actions to WOSU at first, saying it didn’t believe the protests as a whole were antisemitic. Now, Jewish Columbus says it is reporting both antisemitic attacks on Jewish people and events it believes are against Zionism.

Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis when it invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel retaliated, invading the Gaza Strip.  In the nearly two years since, it is estimated that more than 60,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been killed.

Here in Columbus and around the U.S., people took to the streets to protest after Israel’s counterattack began, alleging Israel was committing genocide.

At this time Jewish Columbus, a branch of the Jewish Federations of North America, started seeing a rise in antisemitism. The group and its umbrella organization have increased security and established an intelligence apparatus across more than 100 locations in U.S. cities, including Cincinnati and Cleveland.

Jewish Columbus reported these antisemitic acts to police, but went a step further. WOSU found through a records request to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office that Jewish Columbus was also reporting any protest activity it thought was critical of Israel’s actions.

Jewish Columbus told police about Students for Justice in Palestine events at Ohio State University and Ohio Wesleyan University.

It also reported a candlelight vigil at the Ohio Statehouse hosted by the Noor Muslim Student group.

This small group of mostly young women and girls stated on Instagram in Nov. 2023 they were gathering for a silent tribute to the victims in Gaza.

There were no protests or speeches.

But Jewish Columbus reported the vigil to police anyway.

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Authorities Hit White Man Who Was Savagely Beaten During Cincinnati Brawl with a Criminal Charge Following Outcry from Black Community Leaders

One of the two victims identified by police during last month’s street brawl in Cincinnati has been hit with a criminal charge.

As Fox News reported on Wednesday, authorities charged the unidentified 45-year-old White man with disorderly conduct for his part in the July 26 fight.

Police are not legally allowed to identify the man at this time. This is because under Marsy’s law, victims of crimes are allowed to have their names withheld from the public.

Authorities also did not specify what he specifically did to warrant a disorderly conduct charge.

This news comes after black community leaders in Cincy last week demanded the white man’s prosecution, citing a video appearing to show him slapping one of the black individuals before the all-out assault. A racial slur can also be heard, though it’s not clear whether the white man or someone else uttered it.

Community leaders said this proved the white guy should be facing at least the exact charges as the other seven thugs who brutally beat him and a white woman.

Many spoke out against this perceived ‘injustice’ during a discussion at New Prospect Baptist Church in the Cincy neighborhood of Roselawn.

“If the riot is because of a slap, who incited the riot?” asked Rev. Damon Lynch. “Why are the only people being charged are the ones who look like me?”

While the charges are not as severe as the black individuals, the community leaders at least partially got their wish.

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