Marijuana initiative could end up on Ohio November ballot alongside reproductive rights amendment
Legalizing recreational marijuana could be on the November ballot in Ohio alongside the reproductive rights amendment — which could bode well for those hoping to legalize cannabis, legal experts say.
The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol is trying to get a citizen-initiative on the ballot that would legalize and regulate cultivation, manufacturing, testing and sale of marijuana to Ohioans 21 and up.
The coalition came up just short of collecting enough valid signatures and recently submitted an additional 6,545 signatures after the 10-day cure period — nearly ten times the needed amount needed to make up the difference of the needed 124,046 signatures to get on the November ballot.
Since the marijuana proposal was submitted through a citizens-initiated statute, it is not an amendment to Ohio’s constitution and was therefore not affected by last week’s 57-43 defeat of Issue 1. But the marijuana initiative could be indirectly affected by the other issue on the November ballot: abortion rights.
Ohioans will vote on Nov. 7 whether abortion and other reproductive rights such as fertility treatment and contraception should be enshrined in the constitution — which is expected to drive voters to the polls.
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/08/15/marijuana-initiative-could-end-up-on-the-november-ballot-alongside-abortion-amendment/