Survey: Most Ohio Lawmakers - Democrats And Republicans - Think Voters Will Legalize Marijuana at the Ballot

According to a new poll of Ohio legislators, 54 percent believe that voters will approve an initiative on the ballot next month legalizing marijuana in Ohio.

Majorities of Democratic (63%) and Republican (52%) lawmakers expect that Issue 2 will be passed, despite the fact the GOP-controlled Senate has recently passed a Resolution urging voters to oppose the reform.

Nine percent of the lawmakers surveyed were undecided.

From October 17-19, 35 members of Ohio’s legislature were surveyed. This is a representative sample, albeit not random, of Ohio’s 99 House Members and 33 Senators.

Results are in! The latest Gongwer Werth Poll shows what lawmakers have to say about the November elections. https://t.co/AU4FCCwrbW@OHRGOPCaucus@OHHouseDems@OhioSenateGOP@OhioSenateDems@WerthPR pic.twitter.com/kvZMtnuKmF

— Gongwer Ohio (@gongwer) October 23, 2023

The survey was created by Werth PR in collaboration with the Gongwer News Service.

The lawmakers’ predictions are in line with the results from a recent poll of likely Ohio voters, which found that 57 percent of respondents supported the legalization measure. This included a small majority of Republicans.

While Ohio legislators might expect that the initiative will pass, many Republican officials do not want it to. The GOP-controlled Senate, which is in charge of early voting this week passed a resolution encouraging residents to reject the measure.

If the measure passes, Senate President Matt Huffman said earlier in the month that will “come right back to this body” so lawmakers can amend. Huffman clarified later that he would not seek to repeal the plan in its entirety, but instead advocate for “reviewing it and repealing or changing things within it.”

Last month, a number of Ohio legislators said that they did not believe the legislature would repeal a legalization law passed by voters. Rep. Ron Ferguson, a Republican, told The Dispatch that there is not a majority in either chamber of the legislature who would support repeal. “This is definitely not true. “You would not have any Democrats and there wouldn’t be enough Republicans to place them at the top.”

As the election approaches, both sides have increased their messaging and voter turnout efforts. The yes campaign sent cease-and-desist letters earlier this month to television stations that were airing opposition ads “filled with lies.” and the Campaign to Regulate Cannabis Like Alcohol released its own pro Issue 2 election ad.

Attorney General Dave Yost, (R), , published an analysis of the initiative . He said that it is intended to give voters “vital transparency and clarity” in a campaign marked by “inflamed” and “inaccurate” rhetoric.

Despite the GOP resolution, other Republicans in Ohio are divided over the issue. Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said, in August, that it would be “a real mistake” for us to have marijuana for recreational use. He also noted that, in 2012, he had visited Colorado and seen what he called an “unmitigated catastrophe.”

Last year, Sen. John Hickenlooper, who was Colorado’s governor in 2012 and was a Democrat, stated that he had initially been concerned that legalization might encourage more young people to use drugs, but that he now believes that these concerns were unfounded.

“I believe we have proven and shown that there has been no increase in teenagers’ experimentation with drugs.” Hickenlooper stated that there was no change in the frequency of use or driving while high. “All of the things that we were most concerned about didn’t happen.”

Unlike top Republican state legislators, U.S. Rep Dave Joyce, R-OH, co-chairman of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus said last month that he will vote in favor of this initiative in November. He also encouraged “all Ohio citizens to make their voices heard and participate in this important issue.”

The total number of states that have legalized adult use will increase to 24 if the initiative is passed.

The key provisions of the measure for legalization on the 7th November ballot:

This initiative will allow adults over 21 to possess up to 2.5 ounces (or 15 grams) of marijuana. They can also have up to 1.5 ounces 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 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 in the same area. 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,” including “education and treatment” for those with addiction issues to cannabis, or other controlled substances such as 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.

The Ohio Ballot Board has approved the summary language for legalization measure.

Researchers at Ohio State University have estimated that if approved, legalization would bring in an annual tax revenue of $404 million for the state.

Ohio voters rejected the 2015 measure on 64-36, which would have changed the state constitution to legalize pot and give the control of the market a small group producers. The organizers of the current campaign claim that they have learned lessons from the failure when crafting the current initiative.

In May , bipartisan Ohio legislators submitted a separate bill for legalizing marijuana. This gave the Ohio legislature a second chance to lead the reform. It has not yet advanced, but now it is up to the voters to decide.