congrats homies —

 

welcome to 2023 —

 

as randy watson would say:

 

give yo selves a big round of applause 

 

and spark a fat doobie — 👍

 

as for the GQP or anybody else who tries to go against the people’s will and put the weed genie back in the ditch, just look at the mess nys made with legalizing it before licensing it was ready to roll out — so good luck with that dum move if they try it because it can’t seriously be undone. 😂

With 99% of vote in, legalizing weed passes 57-43. A 14 point win - hopefully the legislature hears the message and leaves the statue alone. Also interesting how many rural counties passed the measure. 

 

10 hours ago, ryanlammi said:

They might hesitate to do anything drastic though, because there's going to be a new effort to end gerrymandering, and that could fuel a lot of energy into democratic candidates and causes in 2024.

Then again, they voted for a 6-week abortion ban, and in the wake of calls for gun restrictions following the shooting in Dayton they loosened gun restrictions.  Past behavior suggests that they don't really think the voters will punish them for whatever they do -- so I'm not so confident.

2 hours ago, Boomerang_Brian said:

 

 

Northwest Ohio really stands out being the outliner here.  I'm going to assume it's due to the heavy German Catholic influence.  But then again, Amish County is also a glaring "NO" too...

i hear the Amish have the best weed

 

they don't want the legal market tramping on their sales out of the back of the farm market

19 minutes ago, GCrites said:

i hear the Amish have the best weed

 

they don't want the legal market tramping on their sales out of the back of the farm market

 

Ha! And looking at the map I'm wondering if those western county folks aren't all co-owners of Michigan dispensaries. 

Today is a good day to be an Ohioan.  The Buckeye state now joins 23 other states in legalizing non-medically prescribed Marijuana use by adults over age 21. I think a major factor in the measure passing by a healthy margin was due to the success of the existing Ohio Medical Marijuana/Cannabis program.  The system has worked as intended for the Medical program and there haven't been irregularities or any signs that State government oversight hasn't effectively done its job. I expect the tax and regulate measure's passage will now head for legislative fine tuning before becoming State law. Does Gov. Dewine have the authority to veto the measure? Even if he does, he won't increase his support among Democratic or Republican voters by trying to thwart the measure. Abortion is a major issue and I expect those opposed to reproductive rights will continue in their fight against it in the legal system. However, the expansion to increase the Marijuana program isn't as strongly opposed by either political party as reproductive rights are.

 

Does anyone have a clue as to what will happen next? Will the State legislature take up this issue soon or what path will be followed into making it Ohio law?  Asked differently, will recreational MJ be available January 1st, (2024) sometime next year, or when? I expect the State will issue guidelines and details about the final version of the measure before it becomes State law.

 

I always have and always will respect the rights of those who oppose Cannabis use, but I do hope they will try to learn more about it and realize that nearly all of their Cannabis consuming neighbors take their duties and responsibilities just as seriously as they do. Unlike with highly addictive drugs, Cannabis users are keenly aware of the experience and can consciously regulate their behavior accordingly. (almost the opposite of alcohol effects) I can and do regularly take breaks-days and even weeks-between times of consumption. I totally abstained for over five years when my kids were young and could again should I wish to do so. My philosophy has always been moderation in all things including Cannabis/Marijuana.  I know there are people who develop problems with Cannabis use and I think they should seek help if they have a dependency problem or whenever their use negatively impacts their relationships with others. The new measure has provisions in it for treatment and this could benefit those who may have dependency problems. While passage this measure is a welcome change it may take decades or even generations for the stigma associated with Cannabis use and overcoming the decades of hysterical, politically driven scare tactics, to fade away. I probably won't live long enough to see that happen but then when I was in my 20's I never envisioned Pot ever becoming legal in this country. Nowadays, mainstream TV cooking shows feature Cannabis being used as food seasoning. Only in a free country like ours could something like this ever happen.

22 hours ago, John S. said:

Does anyone have a clue as to what will happen next? Will the State legislature take up this issue soon or what path will be followed into making it Ohio law?  Asked differently, will recreational MJ be available January 1st, (2024) sometime next year, or when? I expect the State will issue guidelines and details about the final version of the measure before it becomes State law.

 

From my understanding, the State Legislature has to do some work to get retail sales started. The law as passed would immediately legalize up to certain amounts of recreational marijuana on December 7, 2023. The State Legislature is supposed to do a bunch of things to set up retail sales 9 months after December 7, 2023.

 

Because the State Legislature is required to act, they also have the option to repeal or change the law as they see fit (this is not a constitutional amendment, so they aren't bound to act the way the legislation was adopted). So they could delay the retail sales aspect of it pretty easily. They would probably need ~1/3 of the Republicans to act in good faith with a united Democratic block to keep everything on schedule as proposed. We'll see soon.

2 hours ago, GCrites said:

i hear the Amish have the best weed

 

they don't want the legal market tramping on their sales out of the back of the farm market

This gave me a good laugh. I've known some very nice amish folks but other communities are shady AF. Probably would be selling heroin if we had a better climate for opium poppies.

 

1 hour ago, ryanlammi said:

 

From my understanding, the State Legislature has to do some work to get retail sales started. The law as passed would immediately legalize up to certain amounts of recreational marijuana on December 7, 2023. The State Legislature is supposed to do a bunch of things to set up retail sales 9 months after December 7, 2023.

 

Because the State Legislature is required to act, they also have the option to repeal or change the law as they see fit (this is not a constitutional amendment, so they aren't bound to act the way the legislature as adopted). So they could delay the retail sales aspect of it pretty easily. They would probably need ~1/3 of the Republicans to act in good faith with a united Democratic block to keep everything on schedule as proposed. We'll see soon.

 

It's very hard for me to imagine the law will be substantially neutered given the way it passed. It had broad support in some surprisingly rural areas. I could see them re-writing the tax provision to just give all the money to JobsOhio or something like that. Honestly, I wouldn't even be very upset if they did that.

Agree, I think they will mostly leave it alone

 

Even Huffman who typically overstates what he's able to accomplish only really nitpicked it, saying they intended to look at altering the tax rate etc

21 hours ago, ryanlammi said:

 

From my understanding, the State Legislature has to do some work to get retail sales started. The law as passed would immediately legalize up to certain amounts of recreational marijuana on December 7, 2023. The State Legislature is supposed to do a bunch of things to set up retail sales 9 months after December 7, 2023.

 

Because the State Legislature is required to act, they also have the option to repeal or change the law as they see fit (this is not a constitutional amendment, so they aren't bound to act the way the legislature as adopted). So they could delay the retail sales aspect of it pretty easily. They would probably need ~1/3 of the Republicans to act in good faith with a united Democratic block to keep everything on schedule as proposed. We'll see soon.

Thanks for the explanation. Seems that things are fairly fluid at this point and no one has mentioned the Governor having veto power on this issue so I assume maybe a year from now something will be up and running. May I remind our State legislators, now that the measure has passed, there's a good chance Ohio customers-in-waiting until legal vendors open up they will simply go across the border to Michigan, stock up there, and leave their money behind to enrich Michigan's tax coffers. (and Michigan Cannabis vendors) Unless there's some nefarious plan to derail implementation of Measure 2, it would be to the State of Ohio's advantage to respond promptly to the will of our voters who by a majority chose to legalize Marijuana in our State.  Some jobs are bound to be created from this change in law. Everyone knows someone who might play a role in this expanding industry. I envision a market for suppliers of indoor growing equipment as permitted by law. I'm not sure outdoor growing will be allowed  but I would discourage it as when I lived in Sonoma County, CA, in a rural area, efforts to cultivate a few MJ plants went well until local deer raided it one night. They nibbled away almost the entire plant. Ohio has far more deer on the loose than California. Then there's the issue of "neighbors" eyeing pot plants growing in adjacent back yards.  Among those could be minors-no need to explain further. 

 

I look forward to an exciting time in the months ahead. I believe tourism in Ohio will continue to expand in the future. However, I'm unsure if pot legalization will have any impact on that sector.  When Colorado was at the forefront of Cannabis legalization there sprang up a unique phenomenon called "Pot Tourism" but now that almost half of the states have legalized non-medical Marijuana use, I surmise its role in Colorado tourism has faded. Keeping my fingers crossed that implementation of measure 2 will go smoothly and will be codefied by legislators essentially as it was written.

 

 

Our surrounding states besides Michigan haven't done anything regarding rec yet. Some of them might do something soon but 1-2 of them might really drag their feet.

10 minutes ago, John S. said:

May I remind our State legislators, now that the measure has passed, there's a good chance Ohio customers-in-waiting until legal vendors open up they will simply go across the border to Michigan, stock up there, and leave their money behind to enrich Michigan's tax coffers.

A good chance. LOL thats an understatement. 3/4 of the license plates at those places are from OH.

16 minutes ago, John S. said:

Thanks for the explanation. Seems that things are fairly fluid at this point and no one has mentioned the Governor having veto power on this issue so I assume maybe a year from now something will be up and running. May I remind our State legislators, now that the measure has passed, there's a good chance Ohio customers-in-waiting until legal vendors open up they will simply go across the border to Michigan, stock up there, and leave their money behind to enrich Michigan's tax coffers. (and Michigan Cannabis vendors) Unless there's some nefarious plan to derail implementation of Measure 2, it would be to the State of Ohio's advantage to respond promptly to the will of our voters who by a majority chose to legalize Marijuana in our State.  Some jobs are bound to be created from this change in law. Everyone knows someone who might play a role in this expanding industry. I envision a market for suppliers of indoor growing equipment as permitted by law. I'm not sure outdoor growing will be allowed  but I would discourage it as when I lived in Sonoma County, CA, in a rural area, efforts to cultivate a few MJ plants went well until local deer raided it one night. They nibbled away almost the entire plant. Ohio has far more deer on the loose than California. Then there's the issue of "neighbors" eyeing pot plants growing in adjacent back yards.  Among those could be minors-no need to explain further. 

 

I look forward to an exciting time in the months ahead. I believe tourism in Ohio will continue to expand in the future. However, I'm unsure if pot legalization will have any impact on that sector.  When Colorado was at the forefront of Cannabis legalization there sprang up a unique phenomenon called "Pot Tourism" but now that almost half of the states have legalized non-medical Marijuana use, I surmise its role in Colorado tourism has faded. Keeping my fingers crossed that implementation of measure 2 will go smoothly and will be codefied by legislators essentially as it was written.

 

 

Initiated legislation is not subject to veto by governor. 

Yeah, DeWine could veto changes the legislature makes to the rules that were passed, but I doubt any changes they pass would be something DeWine would want to veto.

You wonder if other states might allow that though due to the way their government works. Like in WV, if Governor Justice could follow the guidelines to override a vote by the citizens.

7 hours ago, freefourur said:

Initiated legislation is not subject to veto by governor. 

Thanks, that's good to know. I received a Nov. 8 newsletter (see attached partial newsletter) from the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program notifying recipients of upcoming changes following passage of Measure 2.  A new State Division of Cannabis Control will become part of the Ohio Department of Commerce. It appears that the timeline rollout for implementing the changes and making recreational Marijuana available, (I personally do not like either of those words-I've not heard of alcohol being referred to as "recreational" except by college freshmen) is within 9 months. That sounds optimistic to me but since there is money waiting to be made, perhaps the announced time-frame is realistic.

30 minutes ago, John S. said:

Thanks, that's good to know. I received a Nov. 8 newsletter (see attached partial newsletter) from the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program notifying recipients of upcoming changes following passage of Measure 2.  A new State Division of Cannabis Control will become part of the Ohio Department of Commerce. It appears that the timeline rollout for implementing the changes and making recreational Marijuana available, (I personally do not like either of those words-I've not heard of alcohol being referred to as "recreational" except by college freshmen) is within 9 months. That sounds optimistic to me but since there is money waiting to be made, perhaps the announced time-frame is realistic.

 

Gov. Mike DeWine wants changes to Issue 2 to do legal marijuana 'the Ohio way'

 

This dispatch article is actually pretty good, and it sounds like DeWine isn’t going to touch much of the proposal. Obviously it is hard to take what a lot of republicans say as truth, but hopefully they only add these provisions, which in reality are already a thing. 

From the Article: 

 

Protect children from marijuana advertising and edibles. Ohio and other states with recreational marijuana prohibit sales to minors, but cases of children younger than 6 who ingested edibles have increased exponentially since 2017, according to National Poison Data System data.

Ensure Ohio doesn't see an uptick in people driving under the influence of marijuana.

 

Limit the public's exposure to marijuana smoke.

 

 

Thanks Vintage Life for linking to the Columbus Dispatch article.

 

Although Cannabis can have a variety of different natural fragrances ranging from fruity, sweet-smelling to stinky, so called "skunk" weed, almost universally Cannabis gives off a strong, sometimes unpleasant odor during combustion. The frequent comparison with the odor of burning lawn grass or mattress straw is valid.  I respect the rights of others to not be subjected to burning Cannabis smells just as I would if the smoker was burning a cheap fat tobacco cigar. That shouldn't be a problem so long as vaping or smoking occurs at home but is more of an issue when outside the home. I personally always light pleasant smelling incense or scented candles to mask any Cannabis smells. Some places where legal Cannabis has been in effect for years, have explored the idea of Cannabis lounges and bars but I'm not aware of how well they work.

 

I don't anticipate passage of Measure 2 to increase the numbers of children who accidentally ingest Marijuana edibles in the form of candies infused with THC. Thankfully, those children have been treated (in the form of being given time for the effects to wear off) and sent back home. The parents of these kids have a parental duty to guard the safety of their children and that includes keeping Cannabis infused edibles out of their children's reach.  The caps on THC content is not really going to change behavior. All strains of Cannabis that I'm aware of have effects thresholds. In other words, smoking more joints isn't necessarily cumulative-at some point, a threshold in the effects of the THC is reached and smoking more won't get you any higher. Unlike alcohol, trying to play Cheech & Chong by chain smoking won't take you to a higher level.  Very high levels of THC in the blood stream can put some people into a catatonic like state of stupor or sleep but most consumers I've known over the years prefer a level of effects that makes you more relaxed and enjoying the experience. Those who over indulge are likely to fall asleep on the couch instead of engaging in scintillating conversations. Thankfully, unlike alcohol, smoking Marijuana doesn't give you a hangover although it's impact on lungs can't be called beneficial or therapeutic. 

Driving under the influence remains illegal, as it should be. Taxes collected from the sale of Cannabis products should be used in ways that are determined to be helpful such as more money to educate young minds about the dangers of hard drugs.  THC levels for plant material should remain uncapped as I'd rather consume less of a higher THC level product than more of a lower THC content version. Edibles probably need more content regulation as they can take much longer to take effect and can fool some into consuming more than they should and ending up feeling worse.  In 2014, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd traveled to Colorado and had a negative personal experience of over-indulgence with a Cannabis laced chocolate bar. (BBC article https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27704837 ) Hence, I think edibles should have THC caps unlike smoking or vaping plant material which provide small constant doses of THC over short periods of time making it much easier to choose when enough is enough.  In social settings where MJ consumers gather, as the Doobs, or bongs make the rounds, eventually, some will politely say no thanks, I've had enough, and will pass it on. With edibles, you've ingested a stated on the package amount, and have no control over how it will affect you. From the Columbus article, it looks like supply availability is going to take a while although if I understand it correctly, Measure 2 becomes effective on December 7th.

that's not what they said in D.A.R.E. class

 

we learned in it that if you smoke weed you die

Just now, GCrites said:

that's not what they said in D.A.R.E. class

 

we learned in it that if you smoke weed you die

 How well I know that. When my now grown daughter was in Middle School, she came home one day from school in a mischievous mood after a Drug Abuse Resistance Education class and walked into our bedroom and stated, "We were told in class today by the D.A.R.E. officer that if any of us had family members who smoked Pot or used illegal drugs, that we should do them a favor by turning them in so they can get some help". My spouse took our daughter aside, and explained if we were found guilty of Texas  MJ prohibition violations she could be taken away from our custody and placed indefinitely in the Foster care system.  She said she hadn't thought about that. Afterwards, my spouse and I had a heart to heart conversation and decided the risk was too much so we ceased Cannabis consumption for over 5 years.

 

It wasn't until my work took me out to California that I indulged again.  It remained thereafter as an underground, clandestine activity for years until two years ago, after not indulging for over a year, I obtained an Ohio Med. MJ card for a congenital back condition but mainly to help my dying emaciated spouse to regain some appetite. I was disappointed, as the so called "munchies" effects were minimal for my spouse. Cannabis did help to keep her calm and suffering less pain until her liver disease reached the terminal stage. I've continued to consume since her passing and feel it has helped me emotionally to cope with the loss and grief. It definitely helps with my back pain which is what it was prescribed for.  I don't agree with the D.A.R.E. officer's statement about death from Cannabis but it sure could get you in serious trouble with the law and ruin your career.  Some employers will continue a zero tolerance policy for THC levels in drug tests and in some professions, like airline pilots, heavy equipment operators, or air traffic controllers, that is completely understandable, reasonable, and acceptable. I personally would prefer for airline pilots to not drink alcohol and fly, but as the media frequently reminds us, some do. The tasks of DARE officers hasn't ended with Marijuana legalization. Daily deaths from fentanyl and opioid overdoses continues in Ohio and around the country.  Education about drugs still has a valuable role to help young minds understand the real risks from using drugs that can and do end up in fatalities. D.A.R.E. still has a role to play in the post MJ prohibition era.  The federal government now needs to re-examine it's Cannabis policies and disengage it from its Schedule 1 DEA classification which puts Cannabis in the same category with Fentanyl, Opioids, and Amphetamines. Of course, since right now keeping the Federal government open and running is a higher priority, I guess reclassifying Weed will have to wait.

Was at a talk with the owner of Happy Dog and Beachland - they mentioned the changing consumption habits of folks (less bar sales in favor of vaping, etc.), I hope that venues can figure a way to take advantage. MJ NA drinks? "Corking fee" to smoke? It'll be interesting.

I think it's interesting to compare the results from the two ballot issues. While they both got similar levels of support, the maps look very different. In general marijuana legalization was clearly a less regionally polarizing issue, support seems to be more equally spread out across the state. Contrasted with abortion which has very sharp lines and most counties either strongly supported or opposed it.

 

It's also interesting to see which areas preferentially backed each issue contrary to their normal politics. Abortion garnered the support of a lot of the Obama-Trump voters in NEO, and in general looks a lot like the map when Democrats win in statewide elections. On the other side Appalachia turned out pretty strongly for legal weed, at least relative to their normal Republican lean. There are several counties that voted strongly against abortion, but for marijuana legalization. 

 

The results should be evidence for Dems that they need to invest in the Cincy-Dayton-Cbus-Athens arc.

As a 6-year former resident of Appalachia and someone of Appalachian descent I can inform folks that there are a lot of things that you can't do down there that you easily can elsewhere. But it is a fine place to use marijuana. 

Edited November 14, 20231 yr by GCrites

@John S. - Just wanted to say that I really appreciate you taking the time to share your personal story and experiences. 

DeWine Wants Modifications Made to Marijuana Legalization

 

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says he accepts that Ohioans have voted to legalize recreational marijuana, but is calling on legislators to make changes to the law before it goes into effect on Dec. 7.

 

“My recommendation to the General Assembly is that they take action to make sure that both rights are protected,” DeWine said Thursday morning to a group of reporters during his first remarks about Tuesday’s election.

 

“People have a right to smoke it. People have a right to consume it. But also that everybody else’s who doesn’t choose to do so is also protected with their rights as well.”

 

Leading up to the election, DeWine was a vocal critic of Issue 2, which legalizes and regulates the cultivation, manufacturing, testing and the sale of marijuana to Ohioans 21 and up. 

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/dewine-wants-modifications-made-to-marijuana-legalization-ocj1/

 

On 11/13/2023 at 3:26 PM, Gordon Bombay said:

@John S. - Just wanted to say that I really appreciate you taking the time to share your personal story and experiences. 

Thanks for the kind words, Gordon. One thing that bothered me for years was the stereotype of pot smokers as being lazy, self-indulgent hedonists, even thought of as parasites on mainstream society. I came from a family with a strong work ethic and have done everything I could be be a contributing, productive member of society. From my youngest days, I've always had stringent rules about my conduct in private life and my public persona.  Not because of shame but because of the legal consequences of Cannabis consumption.  Even now with full legalization in Ohio pending, I won't be wearing MJ leaf T-shirts or putting out pro-pot bumper stickers. Perhaps indicative of my situation-I do not have even one friend who is a pot smoker but I have revealed to a couple that I am. In years past, that would have been a topic to avoid entirely in conversations. Nonetheless, I'm respective of other's rights and believe that the freedom to consume Cannabis is a privilege that carries with it responsibilities. I'm hoping in another decade or two, that Cannabis consumers will be considered no different than coffee or tea consumers. My feelings about Cannabis edibles is mixed although for certain every possible measure should be taken to make sure that minors and especially young children do not have access to Cannabis "candy" look-alikes. We already have enough horror stories from so called fentanyl laced "candies" requiring that Cannabis should never be thought of in the same manner.

On 11/13/2023 at 7:11 AM, GISguy said:

Was at a talk with the owner of Happy Dog and Beachland - they mentioned the changing consumption habits of folks (less bar sales in favor of vaping, etc.), I hope that venues can figure a way to take advantage. MJ NA drinks? "Corking fee" to smoke? It'll be interesting.

 

You just named two of my favorite places. That being said I think it's a sad truth that these venues (and so many other places) rely on unhealthful behavior in order to get by. 

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/ohio-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-eliminate-marijuana-home-grow-reduce-possession-limits-and-raise-taxes-days-before-legalization-takes-effect/

 

Okay, I'm officially pissed. 

 

I've repeatedly maintained that there was no way the legislature would substantially gut Issue 2. They couldn't be that stupid.

 

Well it turns out they are that stupid. They want to ban homegrow and they want to set THC caps which would prohibit the recreational sale of many products that are currently sold to medical card holders in Ohio. These are not "tweaks." These are not wonky tax adjustments. These are obvious restrictions that people who voted for Issue 2 will actually notice.

 

I'm still holding out some decent hope that the bill will get watered down before passing.

5 minutes ago, LlamaLawyer said:

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/ohio-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-eliminate-marijuana-home-grow-reduce-possession-limits-and-raise-taxes-days-before-legalization-takes-effect/

 

Okay, I'm officially pissed. 

 

I've repeatedly maintained that there was no way the legislature would substantially gut Issue 2. They couldn't be that stupid.

 

Well it turns out they are that stupid. They want to ban homegrow and they want to set THC caps which would prohibit the recreational sale of many products that are currently sold to medical card holders in Ohio. These are not "tweaks." These are not wonky tax adjustments. These are obvious restrictions that people who voted for Issue 2 will actually notice.

 

I'm still holding out some decent hope that the bill will get watered down before passing.

And the State Legislature is showing us all why constitutional amendments are required rather than legislation. 

The one thing I do hope gets in the regulations is a ban on smoking within a multifamily building. We have already sent notices to our residents that while marijuana is now legal to use in Ohio, it is still and will always be illegal to smoke it in your apartment and to remind them that the building is non-smoking and that includes weed. It would be good to have that as a standard policy in landlord tenant law.  

Guess the people are going to have to spank these little theocrats with a redistricting amendment and a marijuana amendment. Direct democracy is the only recourse when republicans try to codify their extremist religious beliefs. 

1 hour ago, KJP said:

Guess the people are going to have to spank these little theocrats with a redistricting amendment and a marijuana amendment. Direct democracy is the only recourse when republicans try to codify their extremist religious beliefs. 

Exactly this, if they want to try and change what was voted on, I guess we will just come back and vote for it to be an amendment. 

Fist there was Undo Obama, now it's Undo Voters.

I’m sick of intrusive, controlling, big government, Christian nationalists shoving their B.S. down my throat. I love Ohio, but this state legislature is ridiculous. We need to pass the redistricting amendment asap. If these provisions pass, I’ll continue to get my cannabis from Michigan. I rejected religion decades ago and I have been a happy atheist ever since. 

Another example of Republicans gone wild. But Ohio did this to itself.

Eh lot of windbags from the Republicans in both the Ohio House and Senate making noise with clipped wings.Issue 2 will become law and go into effect December 9 as was written without any government overides.A emergency attachment to any late bill changing this law needs 2/3 majority in both the Ohio Senate and Ohio to pass and take effect.They simply do not have the numbers to pass any changing  legislation.

 

"An emergency clause would mean the bill would require a two-thirds vote instead of a simple majority to pass."

Well that's good. I was just thinking back to the Constitutional Amendment Measure from August and how it's both historically and currently hard to get anything new over 60 percent in Ohio. And that's why they picked 60 percent -- both seemingly more plausible to voters and not being 100 percent which 60 percent basically is 100 percent.

https://Twitter.com/DC_DeWitt/status/1731879050367377813

 

 

13 minutes ago, DarkandStormy said:

https://Twitter.com/DC_DeWitt/status/1731879050367377813

 

 

 

Background:   I voted yes on two even though I don't care for the approach.

 

One of the problems with the initiative process is that the devil is always in the details.   

 

The smoking ban referendum was a classic example.   It was in effect one day before the courts forced the state to delay implementation long enough to write actual, practical, enforceable rules.    

 

Before that the speculation on what it meant was downright crazy.

Before getting upset. see what they come back with first. Right now, it is just positioning by some members of the legislature. There will be good rules, there will be rules people do not like out of this, and there will be some rules people say are meh but whatever. 

See what comes out of the regs and work from there. Then for the regs that are not great, get them changed. If you cant, then move to an amendment at that time, but no need to get too angry until things are actually settled. 

 

This was never going to be a free for all nor should it, that would be chaotic. 

2 minutes ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

Before getting upset. see what they come back with first. Right now, it is just positioning by some members of the legislature. There will be good rules, there will be rules people do not like out of this, and there will be some rules people say are meh but whatever. 

See what comes out of the regs and work from there. Then for the regs that are not great, get them changed. If you cant, then move to an amendment at that time, but no need to get too angry until things are actually settled. 

 

This was never going to be a free for all nor should it, that would be chaotic. 

So your position is that people should not get upset when what they voted on is being materially altered, for the worse, by people who didnt want it passed in the first place? They should just chill and let Rs get what they want, because thats your "team"?

 

If people didnt express displeasure with what is being proposed the Rs would assume their constituents are happy with what they are proposing (which of course they arent).

1 minute ago, Ineffable_Matt said:

So your position is that people should not get upset when what they voted on is being materially altered, for the worse, by people who didnt want it passed in the first place? They should just chill and let Rs get what they want, because thats your "team"?

 

If people didnt express displeasure with what is being proposed the Rs would assume their constituents are happy with what they are proposing (which of course they arent).

You can get upset at anything you wanted. But what was voted on was a referendum to allow the use and consumption of marijuana in the state of Ohio. The legislature has the job to write the rules as to how that works. Right now those rules and regs have not been written and passed yet, so getting angry is just speculation at this time. 

 

My point is wait until the rules are passed before you get angry. Also, recognize that certain provisions in the referendum were likely untenable in some capacity but others are not. 

I think the main goal to focus on is 1) will this allow for the ability of citizens to purchase marijuana for personal use without criminal penalties, 2) Will people be allowed to grow marijuana for personal consumption in their single family home 3) what will the taxes be in order to obtain a license to open a dispensary (will they be too draconian. Those are the main issues that should be discussed and if those are reasonable, the rest if just filler.

 

Yes, it is very reasonable to allow an employer to fire an employee for coming to work under the influence (whether it is codified or not is irrelevant.

It is reasonable to have a provision banning people in rental housing from smoking weed in their apartments (because, again that is already allowed with cigarettes and would just make sure people have notice that a private landlord could evict you for smoking weed in your apartment, 

It is reasonable to allow townships or cities to ban dispenceres under the zoning code (I think it is short sighted for them to do so, but if they want to proceed slowly here, that is fine). 

 

But my main point is that instead of focusing on the rhetoric coming out of the debate, relax and see what comes from this. Get upset when things are finalized if you do not like them. Right now, everything is fluid. 

9 minutes ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

My point is wait until the rules are passed before you get angry.

 

No, folks should contact their legislators now to show they aren't happy with the proposed changes. Waiting until the laws are passed is too late. 

Edited December 5, 20231 yr by Mendo

an active citizenry shouldn't wait for lawmakers to pass laws to contact them about their concerns. What are you even saying. They are trying to pass new laws in the next two days before the law passed in November is official. The time to contact your representatives is now

^Indeed.

 

Republican Lawmakers Rushing to Change Marijuana Legalization in Ohio

 

The race is on to alter Ohio’s marijuana law before it goes into effect Thursday. 

 

Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery, recently introduced House Bill 341 — which would change how the revenue funds would be allocated and allow municipalities to ban marijuana dispensaries and home grow. 

 

Ohioans passed Issue 2 with 57% of the vote, which legalizes and regulates the cultivation, manufacturing, testing and the sale of marijuana to Ohioans 21 and up. It also legalizes home grow for Ohioans 21 and up with a limit of six plants per person and 12 plants per residence, and imposes a 10% tax at the point of sale for each transaction. 

 

What’s in the bill?

 

The bill wipes out an entire section of the law that prohibits municipalities from banning home grow, marijuana use and levying special taxes or fees on marijuana businesses. 

 

Issue 2 creates five funds in the state treasury: the adult use tax fund, the cannabis social equity and jobs fund, the host community cannabis fund, the substance abuse and addiction fund, and the division of cannabis control and tax commissioner fund. 

 

HB 341 would split the substance abuse funds in two — the substance abuse research and education fund, and the substance abuse addiction and recovery fund. It would also add the law enforcement cannabis training fund. 

 

More below:

https://columbusunderground.com/republican-lawmakers-rushing-to-change-marijuana-legalization-in-ohio-ocj1/

11 minutes ago, Mendo said:

 

No, folks should contact their legislators now to show they aren't happy with the proposed changes. Waiting until the laws are passed is too late. 

I do not disagree with that approach either. My point was, before talkign about needing to do an amendment, see where things end up once the regs are finalized. 

43 minutes ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

I do not disagree with that approach either. My point was, before talkign about needing to do an amendment, see where things end up once the regs are finalized. 

If lawmakers were debating only how to spend the revenue, and not trying the eliminate large swaths of the legislation voted on by the people, then the people wouldn't have to talk about an amendment.

Edited December 5, 20231 yr by Ineffable_Matt

Man, what is up with r's absolutely hating democracy. The rules they've proposed DO NOT reflect the people who voted nearly 60% to legalize. Michigan must love how badly the legislature is flubbing this. Can't wait for Fair Districts Ohio to finally boot these gerrymandered idiots from office.

 

Edited December 5, 20231 yr by GISguy