Ohio voters will determine Tuesday, Nov. 7 whether or not to legalize leisure marijuana for adults. On the poll, the subject might be listed as Subject 2. A “yes” vote means legalize. A “no” vote means don’t legalize. Here is precisely what the problem would change.

CINCINNATI — Ohio voters will decide on Election Day whether to legalize recreational marijuana for 21 and older.

On the ballot, the topic will be listed as Issue 2. A “sure” votes means to legalize. A “no” vote means to not legalize, and nothing will change.

While the question is simple, the implications are not.

Tom Haren, a spokesperson for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, boiled the group’s argument in favor of marijuana into three main categories: ending injustice, expanding medical access and money.

“Marijuana prohibition has been a total failure,” Haren said. “It is still far too easy for somebody to have their life completely upended by one small minor marijuana conviction.”

While medical marijuana is already legal in the state of Ohio, Haren said many patients can’t find doctors to recommend it. The recreational market will allow more patients to access marijuana, he said.

Haren also pointed to the tax benefits of legal marijuana.

Every sale of recreational marijuana would be taxed as followed:

10% excise tax
5.75% of standard state sales tax
Plus the local sales tax

Researchers at The Ohio State University say the percentage is among the lowest in the country compared to the other states that have already legalized recreational cannabis.

Haren said the current percentage allows legal businesses to remain competitive with the illicit market.

“What we want to do is put those illicit market drug dealers out of business, and we want to take that tax revenue back from the state of Michigan and bring it back to Ohio,” he said.

Despite this, Ohio Treasurer of State Robert Sprague said the tax rate is “way too low.”

“It doesn’t even begin to pay for all the problems that the state of Ohio is going to have to clean up as a result of the legislation,” he said. “I think it’s just unfair to the taxpayers.”

The same report estimates revenue tax earnings between $276 million to $404 million after five years.

What happens to that money is already decided, as it states on the ballot:

36% to the cannabis social equity and jobs fund;
36% to the host community cannabis facilities fund;
25% to the substance abuse and addiction fund;
3% to the division of cannabis control and tax commission fund.

“It’s just not a fair deal for the people of the state of Ohio,” Sprague mentioned. “And I think they should let the General Assembly try to craft something that’s much more fair, and quite frankly, much more responsible.”
He mentioned he wish to see the cash return to the overall fund, like many of the tax income from tobacco and alcohol.

Greene County Sheriff Scott Anger, an opponent of voting sure on Subject 2, mentioned that legalization reduces the standard of life.

“They don’t understand the can of worms that that is going to open up,” he mentioned.

Regulation enforcement has pointed to information exhibiting an increase in visitors deaths and accidents. Many research present correlation with legalization, however not essentially causation.

Anger mentioned that officers don’t have a right away take a look at to find out whether or not somebody is below the affect of marijuana, in need of a blood or urine take a look at. Marijuana can keep in an individual’s system for days or even weeks.

“We’re simply anxious concerning the security, the standard of life and the regulation that this group says they will have on this that I do not really feel actually exists,” he mentioned.

A full listing of arguments for and in opposition to the measure, posted by the Ohio Secretary of State’s workplace, could be discovered on page 5 of this link.