Ohio voters will decide this fall whether to legalize marijuana for recreational and medical use. ResponsibleOhio’s marijuana legalization constitutional amendment was certified yesterday by the Ohio secretary of state for the Nov. 3 ballot, reports the Northeast Ohio Media Group. Ohio would be the fifth state to legalize marijuana for recreational use and the first to do so without first having a medical marijuana program. “It’s time for marijuana legalization in Ohio, and voters will have the opportunity to make it happen this November — we couldn’t be more excited,” said ResponsibleOhio;s Ian James.
The group had to submit at least 305,591 valid signatures of registered Ohio voters, meeting a certain threshold in 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties. The amendment would allow adults age 21 and older to buy, possess and grow marijuana in limited amounts. Commercial marijuana, which would be taxed, could only be grown on 10 pot farms owned by campaign investors. Tax revenues would go toward local governments, cannabis research and drug abuse and addiction treatment. Anti-drug organizations and marijuana advocates have criticized ResponsibleOhio’s plan, which opponents say would cement a monopoly on pot in the Ohio Constitution.