Is Marijuana Legal in Ohio?
Is marijuana legal in Ohio? The answers we’re accustomed to hearing are:
- No
- Yes, but…
- Never will be
If the reality of drug charges in Ohio is so certain, why the shroud of mystery? Let’s pull back the curtain.
Legal Marijuana in Ohio
Effective September 8, 2016, House Bill 523 legalized medical marijuana in Ohio. The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program allows people with certain medical conditions to purchase and use medical marijuana with the recommendation of an appropriate, Ohio-licensed physician.
While this legislation set the general outline of the program it left other state agencies to establish the details and rules regarding cultivation, processing, testing, dispensing and medical use of marijuana.
When Will Medical Marijuana Be Available in Ohio?
Since the passage of this bill, state regulatory agencies were given a series of deadlines to establish the details for Ohio’s medical marijuana program which ultimately requires the program to be fully operational by September 8, 2018.
Find updates on the regulatory process at www.medicalmarijuana.ohio.gov
In the meantime, if patients meet certain criteria and have a doctor’s note a new Ohio law can give protection against a drug charge, however such doctor’s notes haven’t been easy to come by and it hasn’t proven to change what law enforcement is likely to do.
Plans For Recreational Marijuana in Ohio
After previous failed attempts to legalize recreational marijuana in Ohio, new efforts are being made to create a free market system for adult consumption of marijuana. Highlights from this proposed recreational marijuana ballot measure planned for 2018 include:
- Anyone over 21 could grow and use marijuana in private
- Public marijuana use would be prohibited
- Commercial growing and selling would be regulated similarly as alcohol is regulated
- Employers and landlords would reserve rights to a drug-free environment
- Local governments would control the number of marijuana businesses in their community with the requirement of voter approval in their precincts
Needless to say, 2018 has a lot in store for news in the legalization of marijuana, however the current legality of marijuana is still criminalizing.
If you’re facing drug charges in Columbus, call Sallynda Rothchild anytime 24/7 for a free consultation 614-228-3413
