The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol plans to deliver more than 220,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office July 5 to qualify its adult-use cannabis legalization measure for Ohio’s November 2023 ballot.
“We are thrilled to have reached this milestone,” said Tom Haren, a spokesperson for the coalition, in a public statement. “This is a testament to the hard work of our campaign and the support of Ohio voters who are ready for common-sense marijuana reform.”
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The initiated statute would legalize the possession, use and cultivation of cannabis for adults 21 and older, and would levy a 10% tax on adult-use cannabis sales.
Wednesday is the deadline for advocates to submit signatures to get the initiative before voters this fall, according to a WTVG report. The deadline comes roughly a month ahead of an August special election for voters to decide whether to increase the threshold to pass ballot measures from a simple majority to 60%, the news outlet reported.
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Meanwhile, lawmakers introduced an adult-use cannabis legalization bill in May that echoes the coalition’s initiative. The legislation would impose a 10% sales tax on adult-use cannabis products, and the tax revenue generated would support primary and secondary education, local municipalities that host dispensaries, efforts to reduce drug addiction and illegal drug trafficking, and Ohio’s General Revenue Fund.
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