The people put Republicans on the ropes over Marijuana, but fight far from over
State Senator Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, represents Ohio’s 25th Senate District.
Republicans in the Ohio Senate recently proposed horrendous changes to the adult-use marijuana laws that voters overwhelmingly approved in November.
The Republican plan would have reduced legal possession amounts, eliminated home grow entirely, and tripled the tax rate on marijuana sales.
The results would have been a legal, adult-use marijuana market in name only.
It would have killed the industry by making the product inaccessible and far too expensive, driving consumers back into an illicit, unregulated, and more dangerous market.
I spoke out immediately against these ridiculous proposals.
I was joined in opposition by my Democratic colleagues in the Senate and most importantly, a huge majority of Ohioans who support safe, regulated, and responsible use of marijuana.
We fought against horrendous proposal
Senate Democrats heard the voice of Ohioans loud and clear in November and again this week, as our offices received hundreds and hundreds of calls and emails expressing opposition to the Republican plan.
Those constituents gave us leverage to fight against the horrendous Republican proposal.
Because of the work of Senate Democrats, the Republican tax hike was slashed, possession levels were restored to those passed in Issue 2, home grow was protected, and funding for future arts programs was created by a provision that would allow counties to place an excise tax of up to 3% on marijuana sales if approved by voters.
Millions of dollars were appropriated for important programs across the state.
There is now $25 million for substance abuse and treatment funding, $25 million for suicide prevention, and most importantly, $15 million to pay for the legal costs of expunging past marijuana possession convictions.
Democrats negotiated to add expedited expungement to the bill.
As a matter of rectification, people who were convicted for possessing marijuana at levels now legal under Issue 2 could have their conviction record expunged. No other adult-use marijuana initiative in the legislature, and not even Issue 2, had provisions to expunge marijuana convictions.
The $15 million appropriation will pay for legal services and court costs to make those expungements happen as quickly as possible.
We heard from many people during our singular committee hearing for public testimony that legalizing marijuana, but requiring 9 months before dispensaries could sell, would only cause confusion and grow the illicit market.
Democrats were able to add a provision that would allow legal sales from medical marijuana dispensaries to all consumers six months faster.
The people put the Republicans on the ropes.
They may have gerrymandered control of the state legislature, but they do not have control over public opinion. It was the voices of the people, pushing back on the policies of the Senate Republicans which would have gutted Issue 2, that gave us the power to push back effectively.
The bill is still far from perfect, but there’s time to improve it in the Ohio House of Representatives. One way to do so is by restoring the maximum allowable THC concentrations to the levels passed in Issue 2.
I am proud of the work that the committee put into making sure we got this right, and I am proud to have voted yes on House Bill 86.
