For the last week it has been legal for adults 21 and over in Ohio to possess and grow marijuana in their homes, ever since the citizen-led initiated statute known as Issue 2 went into effect 30 days after voters passed the ballot measure last month with 57 percent of the vote.
But there is still no legal way to buy recreational marijuana in the state, something that puts Ohioans in a bit of a limbo until state lawmakers set the parameters for carrying out the law.
Governor Mike DeWine called this limbo a "recipe for disaster."
A bill passed in the Ohio Senate and backed by the governor would have allowed existing medical marijuana dispensaries to immediately begin to sell to people over 21.
But Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens said the House won’t vote on any marijuana legislation before the holiday break.
The bill also contained other changes to the legalization, like limiting potency of marijuana products, and specifying where tax revenue would go.
Thursday on the “Sound of Ideas,” we'll discuss the latest regarding the marijuana law, including what is legal now, and what changes are being proposed.
Later in this hour, we'll discuss House Bill 68, which was approved by the Ohio General Assembly yesterday and is now on its way to the governor's desk. That bill would ban gender-affirming care for transgender and nonbinary youth and ban transgender girls and women from competing in Ohio sports.
Finally, “Shuffle” hosts and producers Amanda Rabinowitz and Brittany Nader discuss their favorite music that came out of Northeast Ohio in 2023.
GUESTS:
- Tom Haren, Spokesperson, The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol; Partner, Frantz Ward
- Megan Henry, Reporter, Ohio Capital Journal
- Amanda Rabinowitz, Host and Producer, "Shuffle" and "All Things Considered"
- Brittany Nader, Host and Producer, "Shuffle"
Watch the discussion in the player below.
