Ballot Board OKs second issue to legalize marijuana in Ohio

By Marc Kovac | May 15, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

COLUMBUS

The state Ballot Board approved a second proposed constitutional amendment to legalize the use of marijuana in Ohio.

The decision Thursday opens the door for backers of the “Legalize Marijuana and Hemp in Ohio” effort to begin circulating petitions and collecting signatures to place the issue before voters.

A third group also has submitted paperwork to the attorney general’s office as its first step toward collecting signatures for another pot-related issue, this one titled the “Cannabis Control Amendment.” Action by the attorney general is expected within the next week.

That means two competing marijuana ballot issues are now seeking a place on the November ballot, with a third poised to do the same, not counting several other stalled petition drives launched in recent years.

Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted said it’s time for lawmakers to begin discussions on marijuana legalization, including considerations of changing state law, before such amendments efforts qualify for the ballot.

“We could end up with a situation that is very chaotic and with a constitutional amendment and public policy that doesn’t make sense for Ohio,” Husted said. “I really think it’s time for the General Assembly to begin to have hearings on this and think through what an appropriate way to address this issue is.”

The most recent marijuana-related amendment efforts are:

ResponsibleOhio: The first ballot issue to be certified proposes the creation of a control commission to regulate marijuana production and sales in the state.

The amendment outlines 10 sites where marijuana could be grown, including locations in Hudson in Summit County and Alliance in Stark County, and five testing facilities to check drug supplies for potency and safety, including a site in Mahoning County.

Retail sales of the drug would be taxed at 5 percent, while growers and processors would pay a 15-percent tax on their purchases.

The ballot language also would allow anyone 21 or older to grow up to four marijuana plants at home, as long as they have obtained permits and the growing area is secure.

Legalize Marijuana and Hemp in Ohio: The new petition language certified by the Ballot Board would establish an Ohio Marijuana Control Commission to regulate the production and sale of the drug and related products.

The amendment proposes allowing marijuana use for medicinal purposes, with a certification from a doctor, as well as other personal use. The latter would be limited to “amounts of 1 ounce or less by individuals 21 years of age or older.”

Adults could grow and share up to eight plants, and there would be prohibitions on cultivation and use in schools, prisons, day-care centers and other public places.

Cannabis Control Amendment: The newest submission to the attorney general’s office calls for the Ohio Department of Commerce to regulate marijuana, much like the way that agency regulates liquor.

The amendment includes limits on the amount of marijuana held by adults 21 or older for personal use or others for medicinal purposes. And it includes provisions related to the cultivation and manufacture of marijuana and related products.

The three groups will need to collect more than 305,000 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. They’d have to submit their petitions by the beginning of July to be considered for this year’s fall election.