A new poll reveals that Ohio voters support the legalization of marijuana.
According to the USA TODAY Network/Suffolk University poll published on Wednesday, 59 percent support legalizing possession and sale cannabis for adults over 21. Only 35 percent of respondents are against.
Democrats, with 77 percent support, were followed by Independents, who have 63 percent. Just 40 percent of Republicans support legalizing marijuana.
The majority of voters were also in favor, with the exception of those aged over 65.
Tom Haren told Marijuana Moment that the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol’s (CTRMLA) spokesperson, Tom Haren confirmed what they had been saying for years: Ohioans are in favor of regulating the sale and possession of marijuana to adults. “Ohioans understand that regulated markets are superior to unregulated ones.”
They’ve seen how regulation has been implemented successfully in over 20 states. “They know that we in Ohio know how to regulate marijuana sales,” he said. “We are building on an existing medical marijuana system.” We take this poll as a confirmation of our initial statement that Ohioans were ready to take the step to regulate a market for adult-use marijuana.
People who voted in favor of President Joe Biden at the last election are more likely to support the reform (73%) than those who voted Donald Trump (46%).
The poll asked respondents who they would support in the presidential elections of 2024 and how their positions overlapped with those on cannabis legalization.
Biden is the most popular choice (75%) followed by Marianne Williamson (75%), and former Republican New Jersey Governor. Chris Christie (71 percent), Robert F. Kennedy (70 percent). The least supportive backed former Vice President Mike Pence (25%), former Republican South Carolina Governor. Nikki Haley (33%), Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (39%) and Trump (42%).
The survey included interviews with 50o Ohio residents from July 9-12. There was a +/-4,4 percentage point error margin.
The Ohio Secretary of State’s Office announced on Tuesday that the campaign for legalization fell 679 signatures shy to qualify for ballot. This triggered a 10-day curing process that will allow activists collect enough to make the deficit up by August 4.
Haren stated that the campaign was “confident” that it would be able achieve this, and that he’s “incredibly grateful” to have such an active advocacy community who has reached out to to assist with this final push.
These are the main provisions of the legalization ballot question that could appear on the ballot in November:
- This initiative will allow adults over 21 to possess up to 2.5 ounces (or 15 grams) of marijuana. They can also have up until 10 grams of marijuana concentrates.
- Each individual could grow six plants to use for their own personal needs, and a maximum of 12 plants in a household.
- The 10 percent tax on cannabis sales would go to fund social equity and job programs (36%), localities who allow adult-use marijuana businesses to operate in their areas (36%), education and drug misuse programs (25%), and administrative costs for implementing the system (3%)
- The Department of Commerce would establish a Division of Cannabis Control. The division would be able to “license and regulate adult-use cannabis operators, adult-use testing laboratories, as well as individuals who are required to have a license.”
- This measure will give current medical cannabis businesses an advantage in the recreational market. Within nine months after the law’s enactment, regulators would have to start issuing adult use licenses to applicants who are qualified and operate medical cannabis operations.
- The division will also have to issue 50 adult-use retail licenses, and 40 recreational cultivator licences. This is “with preference given to applicants who are participating in the cannabis social equality and jobs program”.
- Municipalities could opt not to allow new recreational cannabis businesses to open in their region, but existing medical marijuana companies would still be allowed to operate there if they wanted to. Employers can also enforce policies that prohibit workers from using cannabis for adult purposes.
- The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services would also be required to enter into an agreement to provide “cannabis-addiction services” which would include “education and treatment of individuals with addiction issues to cannabis or to other controlled substances, including opioids.”
- Some advocates worry about the lack specific language regarding automatic expungements, which would clear the records for people who have convictions from crimes that would become legal under the new legislation. The measure includes a clause requiring regulators “to study and fund” criminal reform initiatives, including expungements.
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A Spectrum News/Siena College Research Institute survey, released in late 2014, found that 60% of Ohioans supported legalizing cannabis. However the poll did not ask about the specifics of the ballot proposal. A previous poll showed that Ohio voters supported marijuana legalization on the ballot.
In the meantime, bipartisan Ohio legislators have filed a bill to legalize marijuana in the last month . This gives the legislature a second chance to lead the reform. It has not yet advanced, but now it is up to the voters to decide.
Reps. Jamie Callender and Casey Weinstein introduced the Ohio Adult Use Act. The act combined and refined previous legalization proposals, which the lawmakers pursued on a separate political basis last session.
Callender, who had sponsored a separate law to tax and regulate marijuana for 2021, had previously cast doubts about the prospects of a legislative reform. He indicated that he believed this issue would be decided ultimately by the voters due to the recalcitrance on the part of the legislature.
Ohioans made it clear during recent elections that they are ready for a change in policy. More than 30 localities in Ohio have decriminalized marijuana through local ballots.
In November last year, for instance, voters in five other cities passed local marijuana decriminalization initiatives. voters in Helena also enacted reform during the primary election held last month.
The conservative legislature is considering major changes to the medical cannabis program in this session, even though they may have missed the deadline to pass legislation on adult-use marijuana.
Also, Gov. Mike DeWine , a Republican, signed in January a criminal justice reform law that allows cities to facilitate mass expungements of people with drug-related convictions. This includes marijuana possession up to 200 grams.
The mayor of Cleveland announced in April, after the law became effective, that the city would be moving ahead with plans for sealing thousands of cannabis records.
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The post New Poll Shows Majority Of Ohio Residents Support Marijuana Legalization As Activists Collect Signatures For Ballot Issue first appeared on Marijuana moment.
