According to a recent poll, a majority of Ohio voters — including a plurality among Republicans — say they support the legalization of marijuana initiative that will be on the November ballot in Ohio.
The Fallon Research & Communications survey released on Tuesday showed that 59 percent registered voters support the cannabis reform proposal. This is a positive sign for this campaign, which comes just days after the Ohio Ballot Board voted to approve the final ballot summary for the initiative.
New Ohio survey results on November marijuana legalization ballot issue: https://t.co/vUqf91LYuz pic.twitter.com/qVcFXSp2sP
Fallon Research (@FallonResearch August 29 2023
This latest poll shows that GOP voters are more in favor of legalizing marijuana, while overall opposition to the measure has decreased, as compared with The last statewide survey that was conducted By USA Today and Suffolk University, July.
Both surveys show that 59 per cent of Ohioans support the reform. Fallon’s survey, however, shows Republican support as 48 percent and opposition at 46 percent. In the earlier poll, only 40 percent of GOP Ohioans were in favor of this measure. This represents a 10 point increase within a short time period if the two surveys are compared.
Via Fallon
The new poll shows that Democrats are most supportive, with 68 per cent of respondents supporting the proposal for legalization. 62 percent of voters who are not politically affiliated also support the initiative.
Majority support is also shown by all age groups, except for those over 65 years old. However, there is still a plurality of support in this group.
The survey included interviews with 501 Ohio registered voters between August 22 and 25, with an error margin of +/-4.4 percent points.
The results are encouraging to advocates and seem to confirm a point made repeatedly by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. (CTRMLA).
This initiative is also more popular than a separate ballot measure in November on abortion rights. That measure has a slightly smaller majority of support, at 55 percent. It also has a far greater partisan divide.
Ohio officials also released recent pro and contra arguments for the cannabis proposition. U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-OH), who is co-chairman of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus and released a Monday statement explaining why he plans to personally vote for the measure in November, is among those siding with the pro argument.
A recent economic analysis by researchers at Ohio State University found that the reform could bring in 403.6 million dollars in tax dollars annually from adult-use cannabis sales, if it is approved.
These are the main provisions of the measure for legalization that will appear in the November ballot:
- This initiative will allow adults over 21 to possess up to 2.5 ounces (or 15 grams) of cannabis. They can also have marijuana concentrates up to a maximum of 15 grams.
- 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 cannabis 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.” It would also authorize regulators to grant additional licenses for recreational market after two years.
- 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 related either 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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If this measure is passed, the number of states that have legalized adult use will reach 24.
In May bipartisan Ohio legislators submitted a bill legalizing marijuana, giving 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 questioned the chances of a legislative reform. He said that he believed this issue would be decided ultimately by the voters due to the reluctance 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 of last year, voters in five other cities also approved local marijuana decriminalization initiatives. voters in Helena also enacted reform during the May primary election.
Separately, Gov. Mike DeWine , who is opposed to the legalization measure , has signed in January a major criminal reform bill that allows cities to facilitate mass expungements of people with drug-related convictions. This includes marijuana possession upto 200 grams.
The mayor of Cleveland announced in April, after the law went into effect, that the city would be moving ahead with plans for the sealing of thousands of cannabis records. A study released last week revealed that only about 1 in 10 Ohio prosecutors intend to facilitate relief independently.
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Photo by Mike Latimer.
The post New Survey: A Majority of Ohio Voters, Including Most Republicans, Support Marijuana Legalization Initiative on November Ballot first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
