AOL: In a single stroke, Ohio voters rejected a ballot proposal Tuesday to legalize marijuana for both recreational and medical use…
The measure known as Issue 3 ballot would have allowed adults 21 and older to use, purchase or grow certain amounts of marijuana. The constitutional amendment would have established a regulatory and taxation scheme while creating a network of 10 growing facilities. That feature was a target of opponents as well as a separate ballot question aimed at preventing monopolies from being inserted into Ohio’s constitution for the economic benefits of a few.
The pro-legalization ResponsibleOhio campaign spent at least $12 million on ads. But it faced opposition from a well-organized, diverse coalition of opponents that includes children’s hospitals, business organizations and farmers… (more)
ARO [Alliance of Reform Organizations] members were divided on Ohio’s marijuana law, e.g. NORML reluctantly supported, MPP and DPA remained neutral. The measure giving the marijuana market to a handful of growers, creating a near monopoly, was the controversy. Interesting that while the marijuana meansure lost with 65% opposition the anti-monopoly initiative won with 53%. So, that seemed to be the key issue in the race. Obviously, with 65% opposition even if the marijuana movement was unified it would not have overcome opposition to monopoly marijuana.
KZ