- Ohio voters have passed a ballot measure legalizing cannabis use for fun
- The legislation would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and grow plants at home
Ohio voters have passed a ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana in their state, joining a trend of more conservative states allowing cannabis use for fun.
The Buckeye State will become the 24th state in the country to legalize recreational marijuana, NBC News predicts.
New laws would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and grow plants at home.
A 10 percent tax would be levied on purchases, with proceeds used for administrative costs, addiction treatment, communities with pharmacies, and social justice and employment programs.
The legalization follows a nearly two-year push by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, overcoming administrative, legal and legislative hurdles to bring the citizen-initiated law to voters.
A cannabis plant about to be harvested grows in a grow room at the Greenleaf Medical Cannabis facility in Richmond, Virginia, June 17, 2021. Recreational marijuana will be legal in 24 states if the measure passes in Ohio
It will also add to the trend of more conservative states creating adult-use markets, with Montana and Missouri having supported legalization in recent years.
The proposal initially went to the Republican-dominated Legislature, which had four months to pass it. Since many majority legislators were against it, they rejected it.
Republican Senate President Matt Huffman strongly opposed the proposal, suggesting that lawmakers could try to rewrite or even repeal it if it passes.
Republican Governor Mike DeWine also rejected this, citing, among other things, concerns about traffic safety.
Some of the state’s most influential business and manufacturing organizations also opposed the measure, citing concerns that workplace safety would worsen, absenteeism would increase and workers’ compensation costs would rise.
The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol argued that it is time for Ohio to legalize and regulate the cultivation, manufacturing, testing and sale of marijuana and marijuana products for adults 21 and older.
Supporters say the measure will result in tax revenue from marijuana purchases now flowing to neighboring states where it is legal and will help stamp out the black market.
They have touted their proposal as “fixing a broken system,” while also assuring that the places where pharmacies are located will retain some control over the system and reap a share of the proceeds.
Opponents say the taxes raised would benefit the marijuana industry more than Ohio’s budget.