Ohio lawmakers missed an opportunity to pass a marijuana legalization measure that was backed by activists. They let a Wednesday deadline for taking up the issue lapse, and left it up to the advocates to continue the signature collection to get the measure on to the ballot.
The Ohio secretary of state presented the reform legislation to legislators in early January. This gave them four months to examine the legalization of cannabis before an election law triggered. Now, advocates can continue to petition to bring the reform to voters directly.
The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, or CTRMLA, initially tried to place the legalization initiative last year on the ballot. However, procedural issues prevented this. The activists submitted enough signatures for the review to begin, but their timing was challenged.
CTRMLA’s suit to force ballot placement failed in the 2022 election. However, The state agreed to a settlement which meant that they wouldn’t have to collect a second round of signatures.
We pursued an initiated law so that we could engage the General Assembly in this issue. “We were disappointed that the legislator ignored the majority Ohioans who support a better marijuana policy,” CTRMLA spokesperson Tom Haren told Marijuana Moment. “But we knew that this was possible and are ready to move forward towards November.”
Last year, when the initiative was brought to the legislature’s attention, legislators also declined to take action. The campaign must now collect 132,887 valid signed signatures of registered voters in order to get on the ballot.
Haren stated that “we will start collecting signatures as soon as it is legal to do so” this week. “We are committed to giving Ohio voters the chance to have their voices heard in November.”
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Haren cited polling data to say that his campaign was “confident” that the measure will be approved by the voters if the measure is placed on the ballot.
He added that “Legalizing marijuana and regulating it like alcohol would provide an alternative to illegal markets, keep marijuana away from the hands of children, fund investments in equity and generate new revenue for the State of Ohio.” “It is a good policy, and Ohio voters know that.”
During the last session, two Ohio Democratic legislators filed separately a bill that would have legalized marijuana, which was identical to the proposed ballot initiative. However, it failed to advance on time.
A GOP legislator, who had sponsored a bill to tax and control cannabis, has downplayed expectations for a legislative reform. He said that the issue would most likely be decided by the voters.
In December, the House Finance Committee conducted a on the Republican and Democratic legalization bills. However, no votes were taken.
Ohioans have shown that they are ready for policy changes during multiple elections, including the latest in November when voters in five additional cities approved local decriminalization ballot measures.
The conservative legislature is considering major changes to the medical cannabis program in this session, even though they 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 Ohio Advocates will resume signature gathering for Marijuana Legalization Initiative after Lawmakers fail to act by the deadline first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
