Potentially cultivating a new era of rational thinking for those in Ohio, this November 3rd, voters in “The Buckeye State” will have the option to opt in and join the four states that have already legalized recreational marijuana consumption for adults over the age of 21; thanks Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska.
Smoke Your Vote
Giving the proverbial green light to the idea of a constitutional amendment, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted said on Wednesday that ResponsibleOhio had collected significantly more than 320,000 signatures from registered Ohio voters for their initiative to legalize marijuana. Thereby qualifying for this year’s general election ballot.
If approved by voters and signed into law, the initiative would legalize the personal possession of no more than one ounce of weed for adults of drinking age, while at the same time establishing a regulatory system of state-licensed pot shops. The permitted stores would then be supplied by ten authorized cultivation centers throughout the state of Ohio.
If passed, the legalization of marijuana in Ohio could potentially create approximately 35,000 new jobs, something Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph T. Deters strongly supports.
Taking the idea of marijuana legalization to its next logical step, ResponsibleOhio is currently working on another life-alternating initiative, one that would allow for any past marijuana convictions to be expunged from their criminal record. Provided those crimes have since been made null and void by the legalization of marijuana consumption.
Thankfully, Ohio’s Ballot Board recently gave the go-ahead for this new expungement measure, thereby allowing advocates to fire up the signature collection process as they work diligently to put this measure before the voters next year.
