It's been exactly one month since Ohio's legislature significantly altered the state's marijuana rules, and recent legal challenges point to a rocky road of implementation.

Why it matters: Senate Bill 56 rolled back parts of the voter-approved Issue 2, which legalized recreational marijuana use in 2023. It adds restrictions on what, where and how Ohioans can consume.

Driving the news: The new state measure bans intoxicating hemp products, including THC drinks, and creates a lower maximum THC potency for extracts.

• It also outlaws smoking or vaping in public places.

The intrigue: Those special trips to Michigan to procure cheaper weed? No longer allowed.

• SB56 makes it illegal to transport marijuana into Ohio from another state, even if it was legally purchased there.
• And it stipulates that products must be stored in their original packaging, even after opening.

Follow the money: Lawmakers also shuffled where marijuana tax money goes, eliminating the social equity fund created by voters and sending most revenue to the state's general fund.

• Cities like Cleveland where dispensaries are located still get 36% of the tax revenue.
• Recreational marijuana sales in Ohio topped $836 million last year.

Friction point: The law is already facing legal challenges.

• A Sandusky County judge blocked local enforcement of the hemp ban — arguing it was "inherently discriminatory" to say that THC derived from marijuana is legal, but chemically identical THC derived from hemp is not, Cleveland.com reported.
• A Franklin County judge allowed some shops to sell off inventory, arguing that SB56 should have created a "grace period" for retailers, per the Ohio Capital Journal.

What's next: Other lawsuits may be on the horizon, but a broader tension between voters and lawmakers persists.

A recent campaign seeking to repeal SB56 failed due to a lack of signatures.

Cleveland has financially benefited from recreational marijuana sales, but far less than Columbus and Cincinnati, per the latest state data.

How it works: Ohio distributes a portion of excise taxes to municipalities and townships on the last day of each month, based on the percentage of total tax attributable to each community.

Zoom in: Cuyahoga County has 25 dispensaries, the second-most statewide, trailing only Franklin County (Columbus).

The other side: At least 130 communities, mostly smaller places, are still choosing to block recreational marijuana sales through local moratoriums, per Ohio State University's Drug Enforcement and Policy Center.

• Among them are: Avon Lake, Beachwood, Brunswick, Euclid, Fairlawn, Hudson, Independence, Lyndhurst, Medina Township, Middleburg Heights, North Olmsted, North Royalton, Orange, Strongsville, Twinsburg and Westlake.

🍰 A co-owner of Corbo's Bakery in Little Italy has sued her brother and sister-in-law, alleging they siphoned company assets, withheld profits and illegally pushed her out of the family business. (Cleveland.com)

📼 A throwback video rental store — featuring DVDs and VHS tapes — has opened in Lakewood. (Cleveland Scene)

🦪 Edwins Leadership & Restaurant Institute is expanding in Cleveland Heights, adding a new teaching kitchen and Oyster Bar to its portfolio. (Crain's Cleveland Business 🔐)

📚 This year's Anisfield-Wolf Book Award winners, announced last week by the Cleveland Foundation, are all debut authors. (Literary Hub)

The annual tax deadline is behind us. Now, we turn our attention to what is (hopefully) a big refund.

The intrigue: Tax refunds are up this year — but still falling short of expectations for many Americans, despite new tax breaks meant to put more money in taxpayers' pockets.

The big picture: This is the first filing season reflecting changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including new deductions that were expected to boost refunds for millions.

State of play: So far, refunds are indeed up. The average check is about $3,462, up 11% from $3,116 last year, according to IRS filing season data through April 3.

• Total refunds have reached roughly $241.7 billion, a 14.5% increase from the same period last year.
• The number of refunds issued is up 3.1% year over year, with the final picture still taking shape.

Yes, but: Early forecasts — and new tax changes — had pointed to even bigger gains.

• The typical increase is closer to $300, not the $600-$700 many expected.

Between the lines: Many of the new deductions fueling refund expectations, such as those for seniors, tips and overtime, have had an uneven impact.

• Their payoff can vary widely by income and eligibility, which has limited the overall bump.
• And early data suggests the new deductions have had mixed uptake so far, adding to those uneven results, according to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation.

What we're watching: Refunds are rising overall — but the increases may be leveling off as more returns come in.

• Many Americans rely heavily on refunds, with 70% using them to cover basic expenses like rent and bills, according to a TurboTax survey.

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This week's photo shows city leaders at last week's groundbreaking of Cosm in downtown's Gateway District.

• The venue, which broadcasts sporting events and films in an immersive format, opens in 2027.

📷 If you have a recent photo representing Cleveland's essence, please submit it by replying to this email.