A pair of Ohio Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday filed a bill to legalize marijuana that directly mirrors a proposed initiative that activists are pursuing. If the legislature fails to act by next month, advocates can collect additional signatures to put the measure directly before voters on the November ballot. Reps. Casey Weinstein (D) and Terrence Upchurch (D) are sponsoring the legislation, which is virtually identical to a citizen initiative from the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CTRMLA). The lawmakers announced the plan on the unofficial cannabis holiday 4/20. It’s time to legalize marijuana in Ohio. https://t.co/Ily42Bn9DK — Rep. Casey Weinstein (@RepWeinstein) April 20, 2022 Activists turned in about 133,000 initial signatures for their ballot measure in January, starting a process whereby lawmakers were given four months to act on the proposal. With that window closing—and resistance from GOP leadership—the prospects for legislative reform advancing this session seem slim. Even so, Weinstein and Upchurch are giving lawmakers another chance to act on the issue before legalization is potentially put to voters in November.
Kyle Jaeger, Marijuana Moment, 04/20/2022 14:22:00