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Ohio recreational marijuana initiative certified, group ready to collect signatures

Recreational Marijuana
Posted at 3:36 PM, Aug 30, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-30 15:36:57-04

CLEVELAND — A group that wants to legalize recreational marijuana in Ohio and have it regulated in a way similar to alcohol has had its initiative certified by the Ohio Ballot Board, allowing it to collect signatures to send the measure to the Ohio General Assembly.

“We’re happy with today’s outcome and believe the ballot board made the right call on this one,” said Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol spokesman Tom Haren. “We look forward to beginning the signature collection process and working with our state legislators to create a safe, legal, and highly regulated cannabis market in Ohio.”

The group will be required to collect 130,000 signatures before it can send the measure to state legislators. Once received, the Ohio General Assembly will have four months to make a decision. If the measure is shot down, the group will be allowed to gather 130,000 additional signatures to present directly to voters in the 2022 general election in November.

"Ohioans overwhelmingly support cannabis legalization, and we’re ready to work with legislators to end prohibition today," Haren said.

You can read more about the initiative here.

RELATED: 'Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol' launches new bid to legalize recreational cannabis

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