Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Ohioans could vote to legalize recreational marijuana and industrial hemp production as soon as next year through a measure backed by companies that didn't get one of the state's medical marijuana grow licenses.
Jimmy Gould and Ian James, co-founders of Ohio's 2015 failed recreational marijuana legalization measure, are now proposing a "Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Amendment." Gould and James also unsuccessfully bid for one of the state's 12 large medical marijuana cultivator licenses.
Gould said Monday that state regulators in the Ohio Department of Commerce bungled the license application process and he doesn't trust them to get things right moving forward.
There's no amendment yet, but Gould outlined a proposal during a press conference here Monday. James said a draft amendment is planned for January.
The proposal calls for recreational marijuana production and sales to follow a structure similar to how Ohio regulates liquor and would allow people age 21 and older to grow four marijuana plants per household in areas not publicly visible.
The measure would keep Ohio's heavily regulated medical marijuana control program in place.
"This is not a reborn Issue 3," Gould said. "There's no control here by anybody -- this is free market."
Other highlights of the proposal:
•Ohio farmers could cultivate hemp.
•Cities, villages and townships could approve the number of marijuana businesses allowed to operate in their community.
•Voters would decide by ballot whether to allow a dispensary in their precinct, like liquor licenses.
•Smoking marijuana or consuming marijuana products would remain prohibited in public places or on any form of public transportation.
Gould and supporters would have to collect at least 305,591 signatures of registered Ohio voters by July 2018 to qualify for the November 2018 ballot.
ResponsibleOhio spent more than $20 million on its unsuccessful 2015 campaign. Gould said he and other losing companies are prepared to spend millions on a new campaign.
Issue 3 was heavily criticized by legalization supporters and opponents for creating a monopoly on the multimillion-dollar commercial growing sector. A measure passed during the same 2015 election bars future amendments that enshrine a commercial right or license in the Ohio Constitution.
Gould said he welcomes questions and comments on the proposal at Ballot@GLA.Holdings.
Ohio's medical marijuana law, passed in May 2016, mandates the program be fully operational by Sept. 8, 2018. State regulators are in the process of reviewing applications to grow, manufacture products from and sell marijuana.
Gould accused the Department of Commerce of making several mistakes in the license scoring and award process and covering up those errors. Gould said more missteps will be revealed when his company and others sue the state and state employees involved in the process should resign.
"This thing has gotten to the point of the obnoxious, disgusting way governments get out of control when there's nobody at home watching the farm," Gould said.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Ohio Push For Recreational Marijuana Follows Medical Pot Measure - LEX18.com | Continuous News and StormTracker Weather
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Photo Credit: Pixabay
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Jimmy Gould and Ian James, co-founders of Ohio's 2015 failed recreational marijuana legalization measure, are now proposing a "Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Amendment." Gould and James also unsuccessfully bid for one of the state's 12 large medical marijuana cultivator licenses.
Gould said Monday that state regulators in the Ohio Department of Commerce bungled the license application process and he doesn't trust them to get things right moving forward.
There's no amendment yet, but Gould outlined a proposal during a press conference here Monday. James said a draft amendment is planned for January.
The proposal calls for recreational marijuana production and sales to follow a structure similar to how Ohio regulates liquor and would allow people age 21 and older to grow four marijuana plants per household in areas not publicly visible.
The measure would keep Ohio's heavily regulated medical marijuana control program in place.
"This is not a reborn Issue 3," Gould said. "There's no control here by anybody -- this is free market."
Other highlights of the proposal:
•Ohio farmers could cultivate hemp.
•Cities, villages and townships could approve the number of marijuana businesses allowed to operate in their community.
•Voters would decide by ballot whether to allow a dispensary in their precinct, like liquor licenses.
•Smoking marijuana or consuming marijuana products would remain prohibited in public places or on any form of public transportation.
Gould and supporters would have to collect at least 305,591 signatures of registered Ohio voters by July 2018 to qualify for the November 2018 ballot.
ResponsibleOhio spent more than $20 million on its unsuccessful 2015 campaign. Gould said he and other losing companies are prepared to spend millions on a new campaign.
Issue 3 was heavily criticized by legalization supporters and opponents for creating a monopoly on the multimillion-dollar commercial growing sector. A measure passed during the same 2015 election bars future amendments that enshrine a commercial right or license in the Ohio Constitution.
Gould said he welcomes questions and comments on the proposal at Ballot@GLA.Holdings.
Ohio's medical marijuana law, passed in May 2016, mandates the program be fully operational by Sept. 8, 2018. State regulators are in the process of reviewing applications to grow, manufacture products from and sell marijuana.
Gould accused the Department of Commerce of making several mistakes in the license scoring and award process and covering up those errors. Gould said more missteps will be revealed when his company and others sue the state and state employees involved in the process should resign.
"This thing has gotten to the point of the obnoxious, disgusting way governments get out of control when there's nobody at home watching the farm," Gould said.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Ohio Push For Recreational Marijuana Follows Medical Pot Measure - LEX18.com | Continuous News and StormTracker Weather
Contact: Contact Us - LEX18.com | Continuous News and StormTracker Weather
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Website: Home - LEX18.com | Continuous News and StormTracker Weather
