{"id":65297,"date":"2023-05-24T10:19:24","date_gmt":"2023-05-24T18:19:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2023\/05\/24\/bipartisan-ohio-lawmakers-file-new-marijuana-legalization-bill-as-activists-collect-signatures-to-put-issue-on-november-ballot\/"},"modified":"2023-05-24T19:47:05","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T03:47:05","slug":"bipartisan-ohio-lawmakers-file-new-marijuana-legalization-bill-as-activists-collect-signatures-to-put-issue-on-november-ballot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/2023\/05\/24\/bipartisan-ohio-lawmakers-file-new-marijuana-legalization-bill-as-activists-collect-signatures-to-put-issue-on-november-ballot\/","title":{"rendered":"Bipartisan Ohio Lawmakers File New Marijuana Legalization Bill As Activists Collect Signatures To Put Issue On November Ballot"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Bipartisan Ohio lawmakers have filed a new bill to legalize marijuana, offering the legislature an opportunity to take the lead on reform as an activist campaign works to place a reform initiative on the November ballot.<\/p>\n

Reps. Jamie Callender (R) and Casey Weinstein (D) introduced the Ohio Adult Use Act, combining and refining prior legalization proposals that the lawmakers pursued last session on a separate partisan basis.<\/p>\n

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 50 grams of cannabis and cultivate up to six plants, only three of which could be mature at one time, for personal use.<\/p>\n

People with certain prior marijuana possession and cultivation convictions on their records would be able to petition the courts for expungement.<\/p>\n

Marijuana products would be subject to a 10 percent tax, with revenue earmarked for K-12 public education, localities that permit dispensaries to operate in their area, substance misuse treatment, law enforcement efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking and the state general fund.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re really at risk of Ohio falling behind. I\u2019d argue Ohio has already fallen behind our neighboring states, and, frankly, where the public is on this issue,\u201d Weinstein told Marijuana Moment in a phone interview on Wednesday. \u201cIt\u2019s not a political issue. The public is just there. It\u2019s time for us to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Let\u2019s go! https:\/\/t.co\/YWiPLVlTQD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rep. Casey Weinstein \"🇺🇸\" (@RepWeinstein) May 24, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Regional dynamics are one factor that could help advance the issue in the conservative Ohio legislature, with nearby states like Illinois and Michigan having already enacted legalization and Minnesota on the cusp of ending prohibition<\/a> following the legislature\u2019s passage of a reform measure this month. Bipartisan senators next door in Ohio also recently announced they will be teaming up on a cannabis legalization bill<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But another key consideration for legislators in the Buckeye State is whether they want to approach legalization through the legislative process or have voters decide on the issue this year. A campaign to secure placement on the November ballot is actively in the process of gathering remaining signatures<\/a> after lawmakers declined to take an opportunity to pass legalization in the first months of the 2023 session.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing motivates the legislature quite like a ballot initiative,\u201d Weinstein said. \u201cI\u2019d rather do this via legislation\u2014the scalpel of legislation versus the sledgehammer of the ballot\u2014but either way, it\u2019s time is coming.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added that the prospects of a ballot measure is \u201can absolute motivator in terms of doing things via legislation and compromise\u2014and allowing hearings and citizen input and letting it go through that deliberate process. Hopefully that motivates my colleagues to move.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under the newly filed legislation<\/a>, the state\u2019s existing Medical Marijuana Control Program would be expanded to cover both medical and recreational markets. It would be renamed the Division of Marijuana Control and fall under the Ohio Department of Commerce.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough the expansion of Ohio\u2019s successful Medical Marijuana program to all Ohioans, we will not only be building upon best practices from around the country but utilizing the lessons learned here in Ohio,\u201d Callender said<\/a> in a press release. \u201cWith the nation increasingly heading towards the de-scheduling of cannabis products at the federal level, Ohio has an opportunity to get ahead of the curve in developing its cannabis industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Callender, who sponsored a\u00a0separate bill to tax and regulate cannabis<\/a> in 2021, previously cast doubts on the prospects of legislative reform, signaling that he felt the issue would ultimately need to be decided by voters<\/a> given the recalcitrance of the legislature.<\/p>\n

The lawmakers\u2019 new bill has been referred to the House Finance Committee, which held a hearing on both sponsors\u2019 earlier measures<\/a> late last year.<\/p>\n

\u2014
\nMarijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,000 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.<\/strong>
\n\"\"<\/a>
\nLearn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\n\u2014<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

Ohioans have made clear that they\u2019re ready for a policy change during elections in multiple recent cycles. To date, more than three dozen Ohio localities have enacted decriminalization through the local ballot.<\/p>\n

Last November, for example, voters five more cities approved local marijuana decriminalization ballot initiatives<\/a>. And during a primary election this month, voters in Helena similarly enacted the reform<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Lawmakers might have given up the chance to legislatively tackle adult-use marijuana legalization before this month\u2019s deadline, but the conservative legislature has been considering major overhauls to the state\u2019s medical cannabis program<\/a>\u00a0this session.<\/p>\n

Also, Gov. Mike DeWine (R)\u00a0signed a major criminal justice reform bill<\/a>\u00a0in January that will let cities facilitate mass expungements for people with certain drug-related convictions, including marijuana possession of up to 200 grams.<\/p>\n

After the law took effect, the mayor of Cleveland said in April that the city will be moving forward with\u00a0plans to seal thousands of cannabis records<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Where Presidential Candidate Donald Trump Stands On Marijuana<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Photo courtesy of Philip Steffan<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The post Bipartisan Ohio Lawmakers File New Marijuana Legalization Bill As Activists Collect Signatures To Put Issue On November Ballot<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n


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Bipartisan Ohio lawmakers have filed a new bill to legalize marijuana, offering the legislature an opportunity to take the lead on reform as an activist campaign works to place a reform initiative on the November ballot. Reps. Jamie Callender (R) and Casey Weinstein (D) introduced the Ohio Adult Use Act,Continue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":65298,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65297"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65297"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65297\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65299,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65297\/revisions\/65299"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65298"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65297"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65297"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65297"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}