Ohio's Marijuana Legalization Initiative Likely To End Up On November Ballot With Abortion Amendment, Advocates Don't Mind

Legalizing recreational marijuana will most likely be on the November ballot in Ohio alongside the reproductive rights amendment, which could bode well for those hoping to legalize cannabis, legal experts say.

Marijuana And Women’s Right To Choose

Because the cannabis legalization proposal was submitted through a citizens-initiated statute, it is not an amendment to Ohio’s constitution and was therefore not affected by last week’s 57-43 defeat of Issue 1. Abortion is.

Last week’s special election was a GOP-supported failed attempt to raise the threshold to pass constitutional amendments to 60% rather than a simple majority, overturning a law in effect in Ohio since 1912.

Abortion Issue Will Drive People To The Polls

Ohioans will vote on Nov. 7 on whether abortion and other reproductive rights such as fertility treatment and contraception should be enshrined in the constitution, which is expected to drive voters to the polls. 

“The failure of Issue 1 really, really is going to create a massive turnout in November and the people that I think would be likely to vote on that abortion issue would also be more likely to vote positively on the recreational marijuana issue,” said David Waxman, a Cleveland attorney with the law firm McGlinchey Stafford, reported the Ohio Capital Journal. 

The marijuana initiative was led by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol (CRMLA). Tom Haren, a spokesman for CRMLA says he doesn’t see sharing a ballot with abortion as an advantage or disadvantage. 

“We have always believed that our issue is popular and will pass no matter the date of the election or who we share the ballot with,” he said.

He’s Probably Right

A recent Suffolk University/USA Today poll shows 59% of Ohio voters support Ohioans 21 and older buying and possessing marijuana. It showed 77% of Democrats, 63% of independents and 40% of Republicans support the issue.