The referendum in Ohio will decide the fate of the legalization of marijuana

Ohio residents on Tuesday will vote on the legalization of marijuana. However, unlike other US states, voters will for the first time decide whether to use marijuana for medical and recreational purposes at the same time.

Usually, the first option was approved first, and then the second was voted on. The sale of this drug for medical purposes is currently permitted in the 23 states of the country and the District of Columbia, but marijuana is still illegal under federal law.

Interestingly, in the bulletins for voting in Ohio the question of the legalization of marijuana is listed at number three. In addition, there is item number two, which encourages voters not to take item number three.

It is for this reason that supporters of the legalization of marijuana from the organization ResponsibleOhio, who submitted this issue to the referendum, ask voters to answer “No” to the second question and “Yes” to the third question.

However, even without this, the topic of legalization is rather contradictory. For example, if the bill is passed, local residents will be able to grow marijuana for personal use at four sites. However, item number three will allow marijuana to be cultivated for commercial purposes only on 10 farms. Their owners are investors who supported the amendment on the legalization of marijuana.

“It feels like the people behind this amendment wanted to turn their supporters into their enemies,” said Allen San-Pierre, executive director of the pro-legalization organization NORML.

According to San Pierre, he supports point number three, as does his organization, but the very basis of legalization is “distorted” by the authors of the amendment. The director of NORML believes that the 10-farm system limits marijuana production, which is contrary to the interests of consumers of the product.

Potential Ohio farm investors for commercial marijuana production include singer Nick Lachey, former 98 Degrees member, former NFL football player Frosty Rucker, and former NBA basketball star Oscar "Big O" » Robertson, designer Nanette Lepore and even members of the family of the 27th US President William Howard Taft.

According to NORML, Ohioans are divided on point three, but support countermeasure number two. If voters answer “Yes” to both questions, a court decision will need to be made to determine which item will receive priority.

In October, Oregon became the fourth state in the United States, after Washington, Colorado and Alaska, to fully legalize the possession and use of marijuana, but only within state boundaries. In addition, the drug is legal in the DC metropolitan area.

"Forum" published earlier chronology of the legalization of marijuana in the US.

Next year, the issue of legalizing this drug is expected to be brought up in Nevada, Arizona, Massachusetts, Maine, California and, possibly, Michigan.

However, at the federal level, no changes occur. As President Barack Obama said in January, his administration stipulates that the law defines marijuana as an illegal drug, but does not intend to waste efforts on overturning decisions taken on this matter at the state level.