Advocates Submit Signatures to Place Legalization Initiative on November Ballot in Ohio
Nearly 700,000 signatures on an initiative to legalize cannabis have been submitted to Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted by the group ResponsibleOhio, well more than the 305,591 needed to place the proposal on this November’s ballot.
Once Husted verifies that enough of the submitted signatures are valid (from registered Ohio voters), it will be placed on this year’s November general election ballot. If passed into law, the initiative would legalize the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis for those 21 and older, and would establish a system of state-licensed cannabis retail outlets which would be supplied by ten cannabis production centers.
The proposal has drawn some criticism for divvying out ownership of the production center to investors of the measure.
According to a recent report conducted Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph T. Deters, legalizing cannabis in Ohio would create 35,000 new jobs.
– TheJointBlog
The Sinned Angel
Although the way “ResponsibleOhio” structured their initiative would not have been my ideal first choice, I have to ask: “why the objection to a so called TEN member monopoly?” How is that any worse than the FIVE member monopoly that the Florida legislature has created.
The five “lucky” growers/dispensers that will be chosen in Florida must already be huge nursery owners and operating a nursery business here in the state for at least THIRTY years.. Now THAT, is a good ol’ boy monopoly. Just imagine if FIVE Florida nurseries got that on an initiative without the legislators help.. HA!.. Don’t be taken in (fooled) by the negative rhetoric… It’s just smoke and mirrors business as usual.
I thank ResponsibleOhio and wish them great success!
..
The Sinned Angel
ken
it;s a bad deal if they cant grow there own weed , just like washington’s law’s that need to be fixed to let the people grow there own …
David M
Although I’m very much in favor of legal States allowing home grows .Legalized State grow provisions will likely be the first thing to go when the fed’s eventually crack down on the the issue of out-flow to prohibition States. Watch the Kansas/ Nebraska lawsuit to see how the wind blows. If Colorado loses this lawsuit (and it could) I see all of the legal States ditching grows to keep the feds at bay
John C Uncapher
So, what to do, that seems to be the question that every voting Ohioan will be faced with come November election time this year.
I am an all-out h8r of the ResponsibleOhio amendment initiative, I think what they have proposed totally sucks ass, but on the other hand, I don’t agree with the way the State of Ohio is trying to underhandedly block the amendment even if it should pass, by submitting an amendment to block monopoly’s in the State of Ohio.
The legislature in Ohio is trying to underhandedly stop the RO Marijuana Legalization amendment from making onto the law book by creating an amendment that would take effect 30 days prior to the RO amendment, which would make the amendment null-and-void regardless of how the voters of Ohio actually vote.
So, my first question is just why didn’t the legislature do the exact same thing to block the casino issue when it initially came about??? Why did they allow the voters to pass the Casino initiative (which also looks a lot like a monopoly) and then let it become part of Ohio’s Constitutional amendments???
Why are they so up-in-arms now over RO’s amendment, which a lot of people have called a monopoly???
I know by the definition of what a monopoly, that RO’s amendment is not actually a monopoly, it is in fact a Oligopoly, or what I like to refer to as a “Legalized Cartel” that will be completely controlled by a few select wealthy individuals who don’t give a damn about the State of Ohio or its citizens.
The current question I am asking myself is, which do I dislike more??? Vote for the ass sucking RO amendment or stand behind and show support for the shitty underhanded way that Ohio is currently trying to put a stop to legalization???
Why can’t the individuals who WE THE PEOPLE have elected to do as we ask, just beat RO to the punch by legalizing cannabis before election time gets here??? They have more than enough time to come up with a plan that would make everyone happy, while at the same time putting a stop to RO’s Oligopoly Wealthy run Cartel amendment???
As it stand right now, and as insane as this might actually sound to anyone who truly knows me, I am probably going to vote for RO’s amendment and also encourage everyone I know to do the exact same thing regardless of just how bad it sucks ass… because I am honestly afraid at this point after seeing just how dishonestly Ohio legislature has handled this issue, that if cannabis doesn’t get legalized this year, Ohio officials will pull some equally underhanded bullshit next year to block the really good amendments that I would prefer seeing make it into our State Constitution.
Tough choice, ResponsibleOhio’s underhanded Legalized Wealthy run Cartel amendment, or Ohio’s equally underhanded attempt at stopping the peoples votes of this state from counting and making it possible to change current laws???
Have you ever been faced with choosing the better of two evils, because that is exactly the way this feels to me… the only question is which of these two groups of scumbags is more despicable right now, RO or Ohio???