Ohio’s crime labs have received upgraded equipment . That equipment can now determine the difference between hemp and marijuana. Previously the crime labs could only determine the presence of THC.
Prosecutors across the state may start taking up marijuana possession cases again due to the equipment upgrade, The Columbus Dispatch reported. The state’s 3 crime labs are in London, Bowling Green and Richfield. A misdemeanor marijuana possession charge carries a $150 fine.
In Athens, the law director Lisa Eliason said, “If someone was cited for possession of marijuana, our office routinely amended charges to disorderly conduct.”
In Columbus, the city prosecutor Zach Klein said that his office intends to decline low-level marijuana cases. Other cities are expected to follow suit.