Greenstate.com
Cannabis policy can be contentious. From whether to legalize, to how a regulated market should work, people have opinions on all sides. But one Ohio lawmaker says he’s received death threats over a cannabis bill currently moving through the legislature—and he wants to set the record straight.
At this week’s IgniteIt Market Spotlight event in Cincinnati, Rep. Jamie Callendar addressed alleged misinformation spreading online about SB56. The legislation builds upon Issue 2, the voter initiative that led to the legalization of adult-use cannabis in the Buckeye State.
Callendar noted that rumors about a home-grow ban and new felonies for certain possession charges are categorically false. He clarified that the only new felony in SB56 would apply to a second offense of selling marijuana to a minor.
“[It’s] the kind of thing that’s led to me having a dozen death threats in the last month, and I’m not real happy about it,” the Republican lawmaker told GreenState, adding he had received another threatening message that morning.
“They send me my address and say, ‘next time you come home will be the last time you come home.’”
Ohio legislators have faced some criticism over proposed changes to the state’s voter-approved cannabis policy. While much of the bill’s updates focus on regulating intoxicating hemp products, it also includes changes to the state’s cannabis policy.
Some advocates are concerned about potential rollbacks to anti-discrimination protections for cannabis consumers and tighter restrictions on possession of cannabis not obtained from a dispensary or home grow. In an action alert, NORML called the proposed changes a “slap in the face” to voters.
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Sean Hocking
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