What, Ohio A Trendy Pot State?

[bobandtorey]

Is Ohio, long considered the nation's leading political bellwether state, going to pot?

If some big-money investors, former sports stars and grassroots activists get their way, voters in November could make Ohio the first state to go directly from a total ban on marijuana to one allowing production and consumption of both medical and recreational marijuana.

And what happens here could reverberate across the country next year when as many as two dozen other states are expected to vote to decriminalize marijuana or to permit its legal production and consumption.

It should also put pressure on the U.S. Supreme Court to step in to resolve the obvious conflict between the growing number of state and local laws legalizing pot and federal law that still classifies marijuana as an illegal and dangerous drug.

The Ohio marijuana juggernaut is notable because, unlike Colorado, Washington, D.C., Alaska and Oregon, which have legalized weed, Ohio is Rust Belt dull, not known for an edgy living style or as a hotbed of libertarianism.

What's more, polls by Gallup show that support for legal marijuanain the Midwest is a paltry 45%, lower even than the 47% support found in the South. Both the East Coast and West Coast states support legalization by a majority of 57%. (Two countrywide polls in the past 18 months have shown slim-to-solid majority support for national legalization.)

Land up for grabs?

I had no idea Ohio was getting so trendy until recent reports that a group called Responsible Ohio was coordinating the purchase by some deep-pocketed entrepreneurs of 10 locations around the state to build large marijuana-growing facilities. In a nod to the little people, the group has added language to its proposed ballot measure allowing individuals to grow up to four marijuana plants for personal use.

It could become the hottest cultural issue since the push for gay marriage began, and is likely to generate a range of debates: Will legalization reduce prison populations, and at what cost? Will taxes on marijuana leave state coffers flush or prove to be as oversold as recent projections on gambling revenues? Doesn't it just make sense, really, to control and profit from transactions that will otherwise be engaged in illegally by those who have a yearning for pot?

All legitimate questions, but none that addresses the elephant in the room: How can state and local jurisdictions continue to make something legal that is patently illegal under federal law?

Here's how crazy things have become: In cities from Portland, Maine, to Detroit and Flint, Mich., voters have approved possession of small amounts of marijuana. In some cases, local police say they will still enforce state laws prohibiting possession, in others police say they will look the other way.

Local vs. federal law 

In December, Congress approved and President Obama signed a spending bill that defunds federal prosecution of medical marijuana sales, yet a U.S. attorney in Oakland continues a campaign to shut down California's largest medical marijuana dispensary.

Obama has not only instructed the Justice Department to not interfere with state laws legalizing marijuana, he also has even encouraged more states to "experiment" with such laws. So what happens if a Republican is elected president in 2016 and he or she orders a new attorney general to stamp out marijuana wherever it is found?

When possession of small amounts of marijuana became legal in Washington, D.C., last month, some Republican congressman called for the arrest of the mayor if she didn't block the new law.

It's time for some clarity, and there's an opportunity at hand for the Supreme Court to provide it. Colorado's new pot law is being challenged in a federal lawsuit brought by neighboring statesNebraska and Oklahoma. The two states argue that the law is causing them "great harm" and that it is in direct conflict with federal law. All nine former Drug Enforcement Administration heads are supporting the challenge in an amicus brief.

That's the big picture. Back here in Ohio, if the ballot measure passes, I see a problem for the horticulturally challenged: How can we expect to raise our own marijuana if we can't even get marigolds to grow?

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/03/08/ohio-trendy-pot-state-column/24604113/

 

[Restorium2]

I had no idea Ohio was getting so trendy until recent reports that a group called Responsible Ohio was coordinating the purchase by some deep-pocketed entrepreneurs of 10 locations around the state to build large marijuana-growing facilities. In a nod to the little people, the group has added language to its proposed ballot measure allowing individuals to grow up to four marijuana plants for personal use.

 

They grow all they want and we can have just 4 plants.... says it all for me. When they finally gave in they say, "OK you can have 4 plants". Filthy greed heads. 

[bobandtorey]

It won't matter if it's 4 plants 12 plants or 100 plants if you grow cannabis Leo will need to see them and count them

[bobandtorey]

[bobandtorey]

The comedian is widely known for his comedy sketches and game show hosting, as well as supporting medical marijuana. Carey however, is not a fan of the proposed ballot initiative to legalize marijuana and restrict it’s growers to 10 investors. Carey took to Twitter on Tuesday to express his views and caused quite a reaction amongst fans and followers.

 

http://cincinnati.suntimes.com/cin-news/7/102/124394/ohio-comedian-drew-carey-speaks-marijuana-monopoly

[t-pain]

isnt it nice we are arguing about legalization now and not "just say no" ?

 

i'm actually surprised there isnt a "just say no" celebrity. like laura bush or someone.

why dont the prohibitionists try that again? it would be fun.