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  • Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine: Proposed changes to Ohio’s new marijuana legalization law won’t contain ‘surprises’ – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

    Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine: Proposed changes to Ohio’s new marijuana legalization law won’t contain ‘surprises’ – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

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    COLUMBUS, Ohio—Gov. Mike DeWine said that he and legislative leaders met on Monday to discuss what changes to make to Issue 2, a recreational marijuana legalization law passed by voters last week.

    DeWine, speaking with reporters at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, declined to say exactly what proposed changes he discussed with Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens and Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman during a breakfast meeting. But he indicated that they didn’t bring up any proposals that they previously didn’t air in public after Issue 2′s passage.

    “I don’t think there’s any surprises out there,” said DeWine, a Republican who last week said he wants to enact marijuana restrictions intended to prevent accidental ingestion, public use, driving while intoxicated and advertising. He also said he wants lawmakers to lift existing criminal penalties for marijuana possession to avoid public confusion.

    Huffman, a Lima Republican, has expressed interest in raising the 10% sales tax on marijuana created by Issue 2, as well as lowering the maximum amount of THC that marijuana products can contain. Stephens, a Lawrence County Republican, has suggested lawmakers would divert some marijuana tax money toward county jail construction and law-enforcement training.

    “I don’t think any of the things that I have suggested that we do really flies in the face of the spirit of what people were voting for,” DeWine said Monday. “I truly believe that most people went in (to…

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  • Plot to undermine the will of voters on marijuana and abortion won’t end well for Ohio Republicans: Leslie Kouba – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

    Plot to undermine the will of voters on marijuana and abortion won’t end well for Ohio Republicans: Leslie Kouba – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

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    CLEVELAND, Ohio – For those of us who believe the government should not be able to force pregnancy upon people, tension knots are slowly untangling, and the win is sinking in.

    Issue 1, the constitutional amendment guaranteeing reproductive rights, passed by a significant statewide margin, making the majority a definitive voice.

    Issue 2, the initiated statute to legalize recreational marijuana, had even wider support, showing both Republicans and Democrats believe in enjoying life with a little sunshine in their pockets. Cool.

    So why are state-level Republicans already planning how to dilute the majority decisions that we, the people, just made?

    Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens and Senate President Matt Huffman made statements after the two issues were called. They conveyed that they and their Republican peers, who make up the current majority in the Ohio legislature, will find ways to undermine what Ohio voters decided on both issues.

    Wait. What?

    And here I believed ballots gave voters the last word on a topic. You know, majority rule and all. Silly me. But seriously, who are these people, and are they bonkers?

    Cleveland.com reporter Zachary Smith’s analysis showed how each Ohio county voted for Issue 1 and Issue 2. The two maps are almost identical and strongly mimic the outcome map of the special election in August.

    The four largest counties, Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton and Summit, where a combined 70.4% of voters supported Issue 1, led the state in getting it passed….

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