Group puts pot ballot measure effort on hold

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

A group that had gathered signatures to put a marijuana legalization proposal before Ohio voters this year said that effort is on hold after it had trouble fundraising for the campaign.

The Legalize Ohio 2016 campaign instead plans to partner with other advocates on efforts to legalize medical marijuana and to reduce criminal penalties for having marijuana, Cleveland.com reported.

Its political action committee, Ohioans to End Prohibition, reported having only $268 at the end of last month. The roughly 80,000 signatures it had collected don’t expire and could be used to qualify for a future ballot.

Meanwhile, the group plans to collect signatures for the forthcoming medical marijuana proposal from the Marijuana Policy Project. Legalize Ohio 2016 also plans to support local decriminalization efforts.