VERMILION, Ohio — Vermilion police are no longer enforcing misdemeanor marijuana possession after receiving advice from both Erie and Lorain County prosecutors, according to Vermilion Police Chief Chris Hartung.
The change comes following the passage of Senate Bill 57, a bill that decriminalized hemp and removed it from the controlled substance lists.
“As we cannot differentiate levels of THC as required by the law, enforcement is impossible until testing methods are available,” Hartung said. “Once the crime labs advise they can do the testing, we’ll resume enforcement.”
According to the chief, officers can still seize suspected marijuana for future testing and charges “if the circumstances merit such action.”
Impaired drivers suspected of using marijuana will still be prosecuted, the chief said.
If you want to know more about hemp being legal in Ohio, click here.
RELATED: Gov. DeWine signs bill making hemp and hemp-derived products legal in Ohio
