Ohio Representatives Casey Weinstein, D, and Terrence Upchurch, D, hope to file a one of a kind cannabis legalization bill soon. The text has yet to be published. However, a memo describing the bill and asking for co-sponsorship circulated through the chamber on July 15. 

Details

In the memo, Representatives Weinstein and Upchurch go into detail about possession and legalization. Should the law pass, citizens 21 and older can possess up to five ounces of cannabis. They can also cultivate up to 12 plants at home for their personal use. A ten percent excise tax would apply to all cannabis sales. 

Revenue would first go towards the cost of implementing the recreational cannabis program. Then it would be divided among four categories:

• Municipalities with at least one cannabis shop in them (15 percent),
• Counties with at least one cannabis shop in them (15 percent),
• K-12 education (35 percent),
• The state’s infrastructure (35 percent).

The memo also addresses a measure for expungement of prior convictions. Those charged with possession and cultivation that would become legal under this measure would receive expungement for their previous records.

Response

Representative Weinstein spoke with Marijuana Moment following the memo’s distribution in the Ohio House of Representatives. “Ohioans and Americans are way out ahead on this issue, and the comfort level with first decriminalization and medical marijuana and then full legalization is just so far beyond where legislators are. This is an effort to close that gap and catch up.

“There are so many benefits,” Representative Weinstein continued. “There’s the criminal justice angle, there’s benefits to law enforcement and there’s benefits to communities of color, who have taken a disproportional hit on marijuana and now stand to benefit economically from it.”

There are more benefits to legalization and decriminalization according to Representative Weinstein. Currently, there are 22 jurisdictions in Ohio that have approved cannabis decriminalization efforts with more on the way. 

Future

Should this bill make it to Governor DeWine’s desk, there is a chance he could oppose it based on his previous statements and views. Should that happen, the Senate and the House would need to vote with a ⅔ majority to override a veto. The bill will need to make it through each chamber first. 

The Ohio regular session doesn’t have a set end date. It seems lawmakers have time to work together to get legalization and decriminalization of cannabis passed. As more information becomes available, we will update you with the latest. 

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