Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Former Cincinnati Police Chief Tom Streicher and civil rights attorney Scott Greenwood are the latest public backers of an effort to legalize marijuana in Ohio.
The endorsements for a plan being pushed by ResponsibleOhio comes as the group ramps up its statewide campaign to take the legalization issue to the ballot this November. The political action committee must collect more than 305,000 signatures by July in order to place the measure on the November ballot.
Streicher, who served as Cincinnati’s police chief from 1999 to 2011, said during his service he saw “first-hand the destructive impact” of Ohio’s marijuana laws.
“Our state spends over $120 million per year to enforce marijuana prohibition, even though we all know these laws do not work,” Streicher said. “Law enforcement should instead be able to spend their time and their resources cracking down on the real criminals.”
Greenwood said he shares the former police chief’s position, adding that African Americans are disproportionately impacted by the state’s pot laws.
“Black Ohioans are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana than white Ohioans, even though both groups use marijuana at the same rate,” Greenwood said.
Neither Streicher or Greenwood are investors in ResponsibleOhio’s campaign, nor are they being paid by the PAC for their endorsements, said the groups spokeswoman Lydia Bolander.
Their endorsements joining a grow list of local civic and business leaders backing the effort including: Cincinnati State President O’Dell M. Owens, former Bengal defensive end Frostee Rucker, NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson and entertainer Nick Lachey. Rucker, Robertson and Lachey are all investors in the ResponsibleOhio’s multi-million dollar campaign.
ResponsibleOhio’s amendment would allow for up to 1,200 retail licenses for storefronts statewide along with 1,150 medical dispensaries. Under the proposal, all medical and retail marijuana would be grown at 10 state-regulated factory farms, to be owned by ResponsibleOhio’s key campaign investors.
ResponsibleOhio's Opponents Want More Competition, Opportunity
Some of the biggest opposition to ResponsibleOhio’s plan comes from other pro-pot groups including its newest competitor, Better for Ohio. Last month the group landed the state sign-offs it needed to begin collecting signatures for a competing November ballot effort. The groups say ResponsibleOhio's plans limit free market access with just 10 growing facilities.
Backed by Toledo businessman Ed Howard, Better for Ohio's plan nearly mirrors ResponsibleOhio's, except it calls for 40 marijuana grow facilities instead of 10, at least 80 percent of the grow operations be owned by Ohio-based investors and no state registration requirement for homegrown marijuana.
"We just really felt there should be more opportunities for Ohioans to get involved in the game, instead of being stuck with a plan that was the result of backroom deal making," Howard told WCPO.
But Better for Ohio doesn't have pockets quite as deep as ResponsibleOhio, and so far it's collected fewer than 30,000 signatures. Howard is working to beef up the group's war chest by soliciting donations to the campaign that start at $75,000 for a note to one of 30 marijuana grow licenses that would be issued should his proposed amendment pass. That price will soon go up to $120,000, he said.
Meanwhile, ResponsibleOhio has collected more than 320,000 signatures. The group is working to collect more than 800,000 signatures just to be sure all are valid, said executive director Ian James.
Fresh Start Effort Would Expunge Records
Should ResponsibleOhio land the signatures it needs by July, James said the group plans to immediately begin tackling a new, but related campaign: An effort to expunge records and review sentences for people who are in jail for marijuana-related charges that would become lawful under ResponsibleOhio's plan.
It’s an issue, James and Stock admit, they didn’t initially consider.
“It was a blind spot for me,” said Christopher Stock, a Cincinnati attorney who helped draft ResponsibleOhio's amendment. “But as we got out and talked with people it soon became clear: There is a significant social justice component to this.”
To be dubbed the Fresh Start Act, the initiative would be placed on the 2016 ballot should ResponsibleOhio’s plan pass this year, James said.
“It’s really simple. There are people who have had 6 to 8 ounces of marijuana on them and landed a felony conviction, but if this amendment passes should they really be shackled to their past that keeps them from being able to care for themselves or their family?” James said. “There should be a way to allow them to move forward.”
A March 2015 Quinnipiac University poll of Ohio voters found 88 percent support medical marijuana, while 51 percent support allowing adults to have small amounts of the drug for recreational use.
Still, 84 percent of Ohioans polled said they “definitely” or “probably” would not use the drug.
At ResponsibleOhio, the group is conducting weekly polls across the state said James.
“We’re polling more on this than a presidential campaign, and we have a very good handle on where the voters are on the issue,” he said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Legal marijuana: Former top cop Tom Streicher, attorney Scott Greenwood go public in support of legal pot - Story
Author: Lisa Bernard-Kuhn
Contact: Contact Info, Phone Numbers, Address, WCPO-TV, 9 On Your Side | WCPO.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Cincinnati News, Weather, Traffic, Sports | WCPO.com | 9 On Your Side | WCPO-TV
The endorsements for a plan being pushed by ResponsibleOhio comes as the group ramps up its statewide campaign to take the legalization issue to the ballot this November. The political action committee must collect more than 305,000 signatures by July in order to place the measure on the November ballot.
Streicher, who served as Cincinnati’s police chief from 1999 to 2011, said during his service he saw “first-hand the destructive impact” of Ohio’s marijuana laws.
“Our state spends over $120 million per year to enforce marijuana prohibition, even though we all know these laws do not work,” Streicher said. “Law enforcement should instead be able to spend their time and their resources cracking down on the real criminals.”
Greenwood said he shares the former police chief’s position, adding that African Americans are disproportionately impacted by the state’s pot laws.
“Black Ohioans are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana than white Ohioans, even though both groups use marijuana at the same rate,” Greenwood said.
Neither Streicher or Greenwood are investors in ResponsibleOhio’s campaign, nor are they being paid by the PAC for their endorsements, said the groups spokeswoman Lydia Bolander.
Their endorsements joining a grow list of local civic and business leaders backing the effort including: Cincinnati State President O’Dell M. Owens, former Bengal defensive end Frostee Rucker, NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson and entertainer Nick Lachey. Rucker, Robertson and Lachey are all investors in the ResponsibleOhio’s multi-million dollar campaign.
ResponsibleOhio’s amendment would allow for up to 1,200 retail licenses for storefronts statewide along with 1,150 medical dispensaries. Under the proposal, all medical and retail marijuana would be grown at 10 state-regulated factory farms, to be owned by ResponsibleOhio’s key campaign investors.
ResponsibleOhio's Opponents Want More Competition, Opportunity
Some of the biggest opposition to ResponsibleOhio’s plan comes from other pro-pot groups including its newest competitor, Better for Ohio. Last month the group landed the state sign-offs it needed to begin collecting signatures for a competing November ballot effort. The groups say ResponsibleOhio's plans limit free market access with just 10 growing facilities.
Backed by Toledo businessman Ed Howard, Better for Ohio's plan nearly mirrors ResponsibleOhio's, except it calls for 40 marijuana grow facilities instead of 10, at least 80 percent of the grow operations be owned by Ohio-based investors and no state registration requirement for homegrown marijuana.
"We just really felt there should be more opportunities for Ohioans to get involved in the game, instead of being stuck with a plan that was the result of backroom deal making," Howard told WCPO.
But Better for Ohio doesn't have pockets quite as deep as ResponsibleOhio, and so far it's collected fewer than 30,000 signatures. Howard is working to beef up the group's war chest by soliciting donations to the campaign that start at $75,000 for a note to one of 30 marijuana grow licenses that would be issued should his proposed amendment pass. That price will soon go up to $120,000, he said.
Meanwhile, ResponsibleOhio has collected more than 320,000 signatures. The group is working to collect more than 800,000 signatures just to be sure all are valid, said executive director Ian James.
Fresh Start Effort Would Expunge Records
Should ResponsibleOhio land the signatures it needs by July, James said the group plans to immediately begin tackling a new, but related campaign: An effort to expunge records and review sentences for people who are in jail for marijuana-related charges that would become lawful under ResponsibleOhio's plan.
It’s an issue, James and Stock admit, they didn’t initially consider.
“It was a blind spot for me,” said Christopher Stock, a Cincinnati attorney who helped draft ResponsibleOhio's amendment. “But as we got out and talked with people it soon became clear: There is a significant social justice component to this.”
To be dubbed the Fresh Start Act, the initiative would be placed on the 2016 ballot should ResponsibleOhio’s plan pass this year, James said.
“It’s really simple. There are people who have had 6 to 8 ounces of marijuana on them and landed a felony conviction, but if this amendment passes should they really be shackled to their past that keeps them from being able to care for themselves or their family?” James said. “There should be a way to allow them to move forward.”
A March 2015 Quinnipiac University poll of Ohio voters found 88 percent support medical marijuana, while 51 percent support allowing adults to have small amounts of the drug for recreational use.
Still, 84 percent of Ohioans polled said they “definitely” or “probably” would not use the drug.
At ResponsibleOhio, the group is conducting weekly polls across the state said James.
“We’re polling more on this than a presidential campaign, and we have a very good handle on where the voters are on the issue,” he said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Legal marijuana: Former top cop Tom Streicher, attorney Scott Greenwood go public in support of legal pot - Story
Author: Lisa Bernard-Kuhn
Contact: Contact Info, Phone Numbers, Address, WCPO-TV, 9 On Your Side | WCPO.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Cincinnati News, Weather, Traffic, Sports | WCPO.com | 9 On Your Side | WCPO-TV
