Recreational Cannabis Use Would Be Legal In Ohio Under New Law

COLUMBUS, OH — Two politicians have proposed making recreational cannabis use legal in Ohio.

If passed, adults would be able to cultivate and possess weed and conviction records for previous cultivation and possession offenses would be expunged. State Reps. Casey Weinstein, from Hudson, and Terrence Upchurch, from Cleveland, introduced the bill.

“It’s time to lead Ohio forward,” Weinstein said. “This is a big step for criminal justice reform, for our veterans, for economic opportunity, and for our individual liberties.”

The legislation would also levy an excise tax of 10 percent on a marijuana retailer's or microbusiness's gross receipts from the sale of weed. The tax revenue would be distributed, in part, to primary and secondary education, for the repair and maintenance of roads and bridges, and up to $20 million annually, for two years, would be used for clinical trials researching the efficacy of weed in treating medical conditions for veterans and preventing veteran suicide.

“This bill is much needed in Ohio, and it’s time for Ohio to become a national leader in marijuana decriminalization and legalization. This bill is more than just about legalization, it’s about economic and workforce development, it’s about decriminalization, and it’s about healthcare! The time is now, and I look forward to getting this done in a bipartisan fashion,” Upchurch said.

The legislation now awaits numbering and a committee assignment.

Medical weed sales began in 2019 in Ohio. As of June 2021, 215,874 Ohioans were registered recipients of medical cannabis, and 13,477 of those were veterans, the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Board said.

As of June 2021, 18 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.