There are now two separate efforts to legalize marijuana in Ohio. On Friday, two Democratic lawmakers in the Ohio House introduced a bill to legalize recreational marijuana. House Bill 382 would allow Ohioans to purchase and use marijuana and cultivate up to 12 plants. The bill hasn’t been assigned to a committee yet. The measure’s main authors are state Reps. Casey Weinstein, D-Hudson, and Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland. The bill already has 10 co-sponsors, all Democrats. The measure would levy a 10% excise tax on marijuana sales, with money going to public schools along with road and bridge construction. In addition, up to $20 million would be used for clinical trials to see if marijuana can be used to treat veterans and prevent veteran suicides, according to a news release issued by Weinstein and Upchurch. Also last week, an initiative petition, “An Act to Regulate and Control Adult-Use Cannabis,” and the signatures of 1,000 Ohio voters backing it was submitted to the attorney general’s office. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has until Thursday to certify that the summary of the proposed law is fair and truthful. If Yost gives the OK, that will launch an effort to obtain about 133,000 valid signatures from Ohio voters, said Thomas Haren, a Cleveland attorney who is helping to lead the effort.

420 Intel – Marijuana Industry News, 08/03/2021 20:00:00

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