Recreational Marijuana Headed To Ohio

In 2015 the recreational marijuana amendment failed in Ohio. Voters in the Buckeye State resoundingly rejected an attempt to legalize recreational marijuana by constitutional amendment.

Ohio’s legalization initiative, Issue 3, attempted an unusual approach. Rather than legalize recreational use and allow businesses to sell cannabis, as in Colorado, or legalize recreational use and centralize distribution under state ABC agencies, as in Washington, Ohio’s measure was backed by a cartel of investors—ResponsibleOhio—who would retain the exclusive rights to cultivate marijuana. That arrangement was highly controversial, making it unclear whether voters were rejecting marijuana itself, or simply a system that was decried by opponents as a monopolistic travesty. Now here we are 2 years later and it will again be added to the 2018 ballot for voters to bring to reality.

Jimmy Gould and Ian James, co-founders of Ohio's 2015 failed recreational marijuana legalization measure, are now proposing a "Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Amendment." Gould and James also unsuccessfully bid for one of the state's 12 large medical marijuana cultivator licenses.

So what does this mean?The proposal calls for recreational marijuana production and sales to follow a structure similar to how Ohio regulates liquor and would allow people age 21 and older to grow four marijuana plants per household in areas not publicly visible. Yes you read right.

"This is not a reborn Issue 3," Gould said. "There's no control here by anybody -- this is free market."

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