Over 160,000 Signatures Collected to Place Legalization Initiative on November Ballot in Ohio

Over 160,000 Signatures Collected to Place Legalization Initiative on November Ballot in Ohio

In less than a month, advocates of an initiative to legalize recreational cannabis in Ohio have collected over 160,000 signatures to place the proposal on this November’s general election ballot. The group is required to collect 305,591 signatures from registered Ohio voters by July 1st, a goal they’re well on track to make.

“We have over 160,000 signatures”, says Ian James, a sokesperson for ResponsibleOhio, the group behind the initiative; “By the end of this week, we’ll have over 200,000.”

If placed on the ballot and approved into law, the group’s initiative would legalize the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis for those 21 and older, while establishing a system of state-licensed cannabis retail outlets which will be supplied by ten cannabis production centers located throughout the state. The proposal has drawn critiscm from legalization opponents and proponents given it would guaranteed ownership of a production center to investors of the measure. Opponents have argued that it doesn’t necessarily matter who’s cultivating the cannabis, what’s important is that it will be legal.

According to polling released earlier this month, 52% of Ohio voters support legalizing recreational cannabis, with 44% opposed.

A separate group, Ohians To End Prohibition, recently filed an initiative to legalize cannabis, with the goal of placing it on the 2016 presidential election ballot.

– TheJointBlog