CINCINNATI (WXIX) - After Gov. Mike DeWine issued a 90-day executive order banning intoxicating hemp, like THC-infused gummies and beverages, a Franklin County judge has stepped in and delayed the ban for two weeks.

Franklin County Judge Carl Aveni temporarily delayed the ban Tuesday, just hours after it took effect, ruling that it should be paused for 14 days as a lawsuit by several retailers and businesses plays out.

The governor’s ban argued that hemp-derived THC products are unregulated by the state and are getting into the hands of children and teenagers, a sentiment some medical professionals agree with.

“One problem with the intoxicating hemp products, they weren’t regulated at all, so they looked like food or candy that doesn’t have child-resistant packaging,” Dr. Shan Yin said.

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