Medical Marijuana-Michigan
Several groups are pitching plans to legalize marijuana in Ohio.
(Kirthmon F. Dozier, Associated Press)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Several proposals are in the works to legalize marijuana in Ohio.
The groups disagree in how each would legalize the drug, whether only for medical use or by strictly regulating where cannabis could be grown in the Buckeye State. Much of the opposition to a group limiting grow sites has been from other pro-marijuana advocates.
Read more about how the competition could hurt or help the groups here.
All proposals would amend the Ohio Constitution, the most permanent citizen-initiated lawmaking route available in Ohio. The path to putting an amendment before Ohio voters is months long, beginning with submitting a summary of the proposed amendment and at least 1,000 signatures of registered Ohio voters.
The state attorney general then determines whether the language is a "fair and truthful" summary of the amendment. If so, the bipartisan Ohio Ballot Board has to decide whether the amendment should appear on the ballot as one or more amendments.
Once the Ballot Board approves, petitioners can begin collecting the second, much larger batch of signatures. Petitioners must collect more than 305,591 valid signatures -- meeting a certain threshold in 44 of Ohio's 88 counties -- to appear on the ballot. The deadline for the November 2015 ballot is July 1.
Here's a breakdown of the plans being considered and where each campaign is in the process.
*Last updated Aug. 17.
Better for Ohio
Legalize Marijuana and Hemp in Ohio
Target ballot: November 2016
The plan:
- Legalizes marijuana for personal use for adults age 21 and older and for medical use.
- Establishes highly regulated industry, with all retail and medical pot grown at 40 sites. Control over those sites is as yet undetermined, but the right to obtain an initial license to operate would be limited to holders of 40 specific $100 bills whose serial numbers are listed in the amendment.
- Adults over age 21 would be allowed to have up to eight marijuana plants at a time, four of which could be flowering, and 8 ounces of dried marijuana.
- Taxes marijuana 15 percent when grown and manufactured and 5 percent at retail locations.
- Fifteen percent of the tax revenue would go toward financing a state marijuana control commission. The remaining 85 percent would be distributed to counties and local communities.
Status: The Ohio Ballot Board gave its approval May 14, allowing supporters to begin collecting signatures needed to get on the ballot. The group decided June 10 to postpone its effort until 2016.
More information: BetterforOhio.org
Ohio Rights Group
Ohio Cannabis Rights Amendment
Target ballot: November 2016
The plan:
- Ohio residents age 18 and older could use, possess, acquire and produce marijuana for medical use. Children would qualify with permission of a parent or guardian.
- Declassifies hemp as a drug and allows farmers to grow it like any other crop.
- Requires new tests to determine impairment to replace urine or blood tests that may show someone used marijuana recently but was not under the influence at the time.
Status: Approved by the attorney general and Ballot Board, collecting signatures to appear on the ballot.
A complaint the group filed with the Ohio Elections Commission acknowledges it may not get enough signatures to reach the 2015 ballot. The complaint, which accused people connected to ResponsibleOhio of interference, was dismissed May 21. Ohio Rights Group could not collect enough signatures to make the November 2015 ballot and will continue to collect signatures for 2016.
More information: www.ohiorightsgroup.org
Ohioans to End Prohibition
Cannabis Control Amendment
Target ballot: November 2016
The plan:
- Legalizes marijuana for personal use for adults age 21 and older and for medical use. Medical marijuana would not be taxed.
- Voters could ban commercial production and distribution in their communities.
- Adults would be able to grow cannabis in their homes and farms could grow industrial hemp.
- Revenue from taxes and licensing fees would fund Ohio's public pension systems, drug education and addiction treatment.
Status: Collecting signatures to qualify for the ballot. The group's initial petition was rejected by the Ohio attorney general on May 21. DeWine certified a revised petition June 17, and the Ohio Ballot Board approved it as one issue on June 26.
More information: www.legalizeohio2016.org
ResponsibleOhio
Marijuana Legalization Amendment
Target ballot: November 2015
The plan:
- Legalizes marijuana for personal use for adults age 21 and older and for medical use.
- Establishes highly regulated industry, with all retail and medical pot grown at 10 sites promised to campaign investors.
- Adults over age 21 could obtain a license to have up to four flowering marijuana plants and 8 ounces of dried marijuana.
- Taxes marijuana 15 percent when grown and manufactured and 5 percent at retail locations, with most revenue going toward road repairs, police and fire protection and other local public services.
Status: Will be on the November ballot. After falling more than 29,000 signatures short, ResponsibleOhio turned in more than 95,000 supplemental signatures that will be verified by county boards of election.
More information: www.responsibleohio.org
Responsible Ohioans for Cannabis
End Ohio Cannabis Prohibition Act
Target ballot: November 2016
The plan:
- Allows adults over age 18 to produce and use marijuana and marijuana products and allows industrial hemp to be grown.
- Ohioans could possess up to 99 plants and 99 kilograms of marijuana for personal use.
- Would release inmates in prison and jail for marijuana crimes and expunge records for committing marijuana-related crimes legalized by the amendment.
- Does not tax marijuana sales but allows sales tax to be applied.
Status: First draft of amendment summary fell short on signatures and was rejected by the Ohio attorney general on Feb. 25. The group plans to resubmit with more signatures.
More information: www.responsibleohioans.org