Just days after Ohio became the 24th state to legalize recreational marijuana, the state’s governor is already seeking changes.
(Photo credit: Fred Squillante).
Governor Mike DeWine made comments to reporters yesterday indicating that he wants rapid changes made to Issue 2, prior to it taking effect on December 7.
“What the people have clearly told us is they want legal marijuana in Ohio,” said DeWine. “We are going to see that they have that, but we’ve also got to live up to our responsibility to all the people in the state of Ohio, whether they voted for it or voted against it.. that we do this in a very responsible way, we do it in a respectful way. And we do it, frankly, the Ohio way.”
DeWine mentioned several goals without putting forth specific policy proposals. For example, he called for protecting children from marijuana advertising and edibles, he called for laws to prevent an uptick in driving under the influence of marijuana, and he called for lows to prevent the public consumption of marijuana.
“I had the experience a month or so ago being in some unnamed state, you walked around the city and there was a rare time when you were not smelling marijuana, said DeWine. “The voters have said people have a right to smoke marijuana and that’s fine. But other people have the right not to smell it and not to have their kids and grandkids exposed to it.”
DeWine continued: “There’s a lot of holes in what was passed, I think would be good if that was all done and done by the 7th so that we’re not in a situation of taking something away from people. We’re not in a situation of telling them, ‘For X number of days it’s going to be one thing, and then an X number of days after that it’s going to be something else.”
Tom Haren, a spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, said; “I can’t believe in 2023 we’re actually talking about elected officials not respecting the will of the voters and not respecting the outcome of an election, I expect, I think that every single voter in Ohio has a right to expect, that elected officials will implement and respect the will of voters.”
Once Issue 2 takes effect, those 21 and older would be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrates. The state has nine months to begin issuing licenses for marijuana growers, processors and retail outlets.
