A marijuana legalization question will be on Ohio's fall ballot after lawmakers failed to act on it

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

A marijuana legalization question will be on Ohio’s fall ballot after lawmakers failed to act on it

BY JULIE CARR SMYTH
Updated 5:37 PM EDT, August 16, 2023

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A proposal to legalize recreational adult use of marijuana in Ohio was cleared Wednesday to appear on statewide ballots this fall after the Republican-led state Legislature failed to act on it.

The measure would allow adults 21 and over to buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and to grow plants at home. A 10% tax would be imposed on purchases, to be spent on administrative costs, addiction treatment programs, municipalities with dispensaries and social equity and jobs programs.

Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose determined that the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol had submitted 127,772 valid signatures, more than the 124,046 needed to put the question before voters on Nov. 7.

In July, organizers had originally submitted fewer signatures than required, but were given 10 days to try again. During that grace period, they collected an additional 4,405 valid signatures.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/marijuana-legalization-ohio-ballot-election-2023-33190433ac9cdf08b7a56b2e4aa4bc20