Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Ohioans should be able to vote on repealing marijuana prohibition without creating a monopoly for a "cartel" of investors, according to Auditor of State Dave Yost, one of many Republican statewide office-holders speaking out against Issue 3 and in favor of Issue 2.
Yost addressed Springfield Rotary Club on Monday, saying he believes legalized recreational marijuana will ruin Ohio's labor force and be harmful to kids, but that it's time for state lawmakers to consider allowing medical marijuana in a tightly regulated way.
"We need to do this and do it right," Yost said. "This is the wrong way to do it. It's too extreme."
But those pushing for legalized marijuana question Yost's commitment to reform beyond defeating Issue 3.
"Mr. Yost and state politicians have been working in an underhanded fashion for years to keep marijuana prohibition intact," said Ian James, executive director of ResponsibleOhio. "The fact that Mr. Yost now says that he supports medical marijuana, with the reality that he has yet to lift a single finger or work for marijuana legalization for the chronically ill, is not only stunning, it's galling."
Countering Yost's claims that marijuana is a gateway drug with the potential to harm individuals, James accused the former journalist and prosecutor of using the drug in the past.
"It's amazing to me that someone like Dave who smoked marijuana is so concerned about it ... If it was a gateway to anything, it was a gateway for David Yost to become the auditor of state," he said.
Yost confirmed that he experimented with marijuana while a student at Ohio State University in the 1970s, but during years as a prosecutor he saw the devastating effects of drug addiction.
Issue 3 is ResponsibleOhio's ballot initiative that would legalize marijuana both for medical and recreational use, establish 10 growing sites across the state and allow adults to harvest up to four plants at home for personal use.
Issue 2 was put on the ballot by state lawmakers and would outlaw monopolies in the state constitution and could void Issue 3, Yost says, even if both issues pass.
"(Issue 3) creates a cartel for a small number of individuals who are going to get rich," Yost said. "Imagine if we had only 10 places you were allowed to grow corn in Ohio?"
Responsible Ohio says claims of a monopoly are unfounded because the state lawmaker will be able to increase the number of growing licenses after four years, opening up the market to everyone.
"Most legalized states limit the number of licenses for grows so that the government can regulate," James said. "That's not a monopoly, that's a regulated industry."
The 10 growers initially specified in Issue 3 are all backers of the initiative, who will spend an estimated $20 million on the campaign, Yost said, and stand to make huge profits.
James said those 10 potential license holders were chosen because they were willing to put up the money to get the issue on the ballot.
"Let's not kid ourselves... (in other states) the licensing is handed out by bureaucrats," often through backroom deals, James said. ResponsibleOhio is putting everything in full view of the public and letting voters decide, he said.
The growers will make money, James said, but so will all the people they will employ and the thousands of Ohioans who will own and operate retail stores.
Issue 2 is the state's effort to make sure voters aren't forced into all-or-nothing situations, Yost said. If it passes, future issues would have to pose the question of a monopoly separately. For example, voters would consider if they would like to see marijuana legalized. If so, then a separate ballot issue would ask if these 10 investors have exclusive rights to production.
"I cannot imagine the circumstances where Ohioans would say, 'Yes, you can have a monopoly, we'll write it in our constitution forever,'" Yost said.
He shared the story of how Ohio voters ended the decades-long prohibition on the sale of margarine in 1949.
The dairy lobby – threatened by the prospect of cheaper margarine dyed yellow to look like butter – convinced Ohio legislators to ban its sale statewide, Yost said. The people finally took up a petition to get it on the ballot and voted to allow margarine on Ohio grocery shelves.
"This story is instructive, because they passed it and there was no monopoly," Yost said.
As a conservative, he said he didn't come around to the idea of medical marijuana lightly. It took talking with families who are affected by childhood epilepsy, terminal cancer and other situations in which suffering could be lessened.
Tracey Tackett's 15-year-old daughter has been epileptic since age 2. She's suffered hundreds of seizures.
"She says she feels like she's drowning," Tackett said.
The Springfield business owner is in favor of medical marijuana, but against legalizing it for recreational use.
"We don't want people driving around high," she said, but study after study have convinced her that medical marijuana could help patients like her daughter.
Yost also said he has concerns about recreational marijuana and the potential for young people to be harmed.
"It opens the door, wide open, to marijuana gummy bears, marijuana cookies, marijuana candy. It's going to endanger our kids," he said.
ResponsibleOhio's goal is to give control to the government for a safer industry for all, James said.
"You can't regulate marijuana if you don't legalize marijuana," he said. "People are consuming marijuana right now in Ohio and drug dealers are selling marijuana right now because we aren't regulating it."
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: State Auditor Says Issue 3 Not The Way To Legalize Medical Marijuana
Author: Katie Wedell
Photo Credit: Gus Chan
Website: Springfield News-Sun
Yost addressed Springfield Rotary Club on Monday, saying he believes legalized recreational marijuana will ruin Ohio's labor force and be harmful to kids, but that it's time for state lawmakers to consider allowing medical marijuana in a tightly regulated way.
"We need to do this and do it right," Yost said. "This is the wrong way to do it. It's too extreme."
But those pushing for legalized marijuana question Yost's commitment to reform beyond defeating Issue 3.
"Mr. Yost and state politicians have been working in an underhanded fashion for years to keep marijuana prohibition intact," said Ian James, executive director of ResponsibleOhio. "The fact that Mr. Yost now says that he supports medical marijuana, with the reality that he has yet to lift a single finger or work for marijuana legalization for the chronically ill, is not only stunning, it's galling."
Countering Yost's claims that marijuana is a gateway drug with the potential to harm individuals, James accused the former journalist and prosecutor of using the drug in the past.
"It's amazing to me that someone like Dave who smoked marijuana is so concerned about it ... If it was a gateway to anything, it was a gateway for David Yost to become the auditor of state," he said.
Yost confirmed that he experimented with marijuana while a student at Ohio State University in the 1970s, but during years as a prosecutor he saw the devastating effects of drug addiction.
Issue 3 is ResponsibleOhio's ballot initiative that would legalize marijuana both for medical and recreational use, establish 10 growing sites across the state and allow adults to harvest up to four plants at home for personal use.
Issue 2 was put on the ballot by state lawmakers and would outlaw monopolies in the state constitution and could void Issue 3, Yost says, even if both issues pass.
"(Issue 3) creates a cartel for a small number of individuals who are going to get rich," Yost said. "Imagine if we had only 10 places you were allowed to grow corn in Ohio?"
Responsible Ohio says claims of a monopoly are unfounded because the state lawmaker will be able to increase the number of growing licenses after four years, opening up the market to everyone.
"Most legalized states limit the number of licenses for grows so that the government can regulate," James said. "That's not a monopoly, that's a regulated industry."
The 10 growers initially specified in Issue 3 are all backers of the initiative, who will spend an estimated $20 million on the campaign, Yost said, and stand to make huge profits.
James said those 10 potential license holders were chosen because they were willing to put up the money to get the issue on the ballot.
"Let's not kid ourselves... (in other states) the licensing is handed out by bureaucrats," often through backroom deals, James said. ResponsibleOhio is putting everything in full view of the public and letting voters decide, he said.
The growers will make money, James said, but so will all the people they will employ and the thousands of Ohioans who will own and operate retail stores.
Issue 2 is the state's effort to make sure voters aren't forced into all-or-nothing situations, Yost said. If it passes, future issues would have to pose the question of a monopoly separately. For example, voters would consider if they would like to see marijuana legalized. If so, then a separate ballot issue would ask if these 10 investors have exclusive rights to production.
"I cannot imagine the circumstances where Ohioans would say, 'Yes, you can have a monopoly, we'll write it in our constitution forever,'" Yost said.
He shared the story of how Ohio voters ended the decades-long prohibition on the sale of margarine in 1949.
The dairy lobby – threatened by the prospect of cheaper margarine dyed yellow to look like butter – convinced Ohio legislators to ban its sale statewide, Yost said. The people finally took up a petition to get it on the ballot and voted to allow margarine on Ohio grocery shelves.
"This story is instructive, because they passed it and there was no monopoly," Yost said.
As a conservative, he said he didn't come around to the idea of medical marijuana lightly. It took talking with families who are affected by childhood epilepsy, terminal cancer and other situations in which suffering could be lessened.
Tracey Tackett's 15-year-old daughter has been epileptic since age 2. She's suffered hundreds of seizures.
"She says she feels like she's drowning," Tackett said.
The Springfield business owner is in favor of medical marijuana, but against legalizing it for recreational use.
"We don't want people driving around high," she said, but study after study have convinced her that medical marijuana could help patients like her daughter.
Yost also said he has concerns about recreational marijuana and the potential for young people to be harmed.
"It opens the door, wide open, to marijuana gummy bears, marijuana cookies, marijuana candy. It's going to endanger our kids," he said.
ResponsibleOhio's goal is to give control to the government for a safer industry for all, James said.
"You can't regulate marijuana if you don't legalize marijuana," he said. "People are consuming marijuana right now in Ohio and drug dealers are selling marijuana right now because we aren't regulating it."
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: State Auditor Says Issue 3 Not The Way To Legalize Medical Marijuana
Author: Katie Wedell
Photo Credit: Gus Chan
Website: Springfield News-Sun
