Progress on legalization of recreational marijuana

emepher

Well-Known Member
Ohio is potentially making some progress. A couple of Republicans in the statehouse have penned a bill that would allow for possession of up to 5 ounces, and permit home grows of 6 plants, 2 flowering. Sales would be taxed 10%. Expungement of marijuana-related convictions is also included.

Spineless Governor Dewine does not support the legislation, and it may be a hard sell with some reps, but it does have a reasonable chance of passing in the House. There is also a citizen ballot initiative currently collecting signatures, I believe. Legalization seems inevitable, and the Republican-sponsored bill may be more palatable to lawmakers than a more permissive citizen initiative, and would be a way to maintain control through "rational" (i.e. severely limited) legalization. Flawed as it might be, it would still be great progress from the status quo, and a huge improvement upon the state's needlessly expensive and restrictive medical program.

Educate yourself, and VOTE. Find out where your candidates for state rep, state senator, US House, and US Senate stand on legalization. If they haven't already made their position or intentions public, ask them! There are folks in Washington who support legalization at the federal level, or at least fixing the Schedule I status of cannabis, but that is not a priority for Biden, Pelosi, or Schumer, nor their boss Manchin. We need to get this done at the state level, as so many other states have already done, and not wait for the feet-draggers, whiny wafflers, and habitual squabblers in D.C.

You can read a brief article about the pending Ohio legislation here, at Cincinatti.com.
 

Autodoctor

Well-Known Member
I still think this should come with a vote of the people and not a small handful of grouchy ass Congress people and the gov. Same problem here in Texas.
 

BFERG

Well-Known Member
We actually have 2 legislative initiatives HB328 was a bill introduced over the summer by a Democratic Rep. and the current initiative that is Republican sponsored if either fail in the general assembly they go to the ballot next Nov. HB 328 already has the required signature and the new bill is almost there. The movement to regulate Cannabis as alcohol is the Republican bill. The problem with both is they want to follow current medical program guidelines. Which imo we have the worse medical program in the country and I am sure many agree. Potency is limited too low, Licensing costs are way too high i.e. 70k a year for a dispensary when a license to operate a bar is less than 2% of that. We had a ballot initiative in 2015 fail because it created a monopoly in the industry. Everything about our medical program needs reformed, licensing costs are keeping the average person from breaking into the industry it's just crazy, but I'm sure it the state gets this done our adult use program will be just as bad. Here's a couple links to check put if anyone would like to. The first is a comparison of the 2 bills along side our medical, the second outlines the new bill.


 
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