Ohio Legalizes Recreational Marijuana, 24th State To Permit Use

Ohio is now one of the 24 states in the United States to legalize recreational marijuana after Tuesday’s ballot measure passed overwhelmingly.

Fifty-three percent of the country’s population now lives in a state where it is legal to carry recreational weed.

The law was passed with a 56.79% vote, allowing adults over 21 to carry up to 2.5 ounces of weed with a limit of six plants per person and 12 plants per resident.

The existing medical dispensers that were established when the state legalized medical marijuana in 2016 will be able to sell the herb.

A tax of 10% will be placed on the purchase of marijuana and is expected to bring $300 million in revenue for the state, according to the predictions of Ohio State University.

Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens (R) said of the new legislation, “With the passage of Issue 2, now is the time for the legislature to lead on how best to allocate tax revenues while responsibly regulating the industry.”

Stephens is not the only member commenting on the new legislation – Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman (R) has also expressed his thoughts on the issue.

“The statute was written by the marijuana industry and should not be treated as a cash grab for their cash crop at the expense of a state trying to emerge from the opioid epidemic,” he said in a statement. “The General Assembly may consider amending the statute to clarify the questionable language regarding limits for THC and tax rates as well as other parts of the statute.”

The legislation will be put into action 30 days after the election and is expected to reach $4 billion in sales by the fourth year of its legalization, according to state estimates.

Article by Astrid Valdez