Sen. Sherrod Brown, (D-Oh) is one of the few officials to publicly come out in support of Ohio’s Issue 2 to legalize recreational cannabis.
Brown’s “yes” vote for the initiative in early voting marks what many Ohioans are calling a societal and political shift toward acceptance of marijuana.
Brown posted a video on X/Twitter of himself and his wife after voting in favor of Issue 2 and Issue 1, which would enshrine abortion rights.
“We believe this is a health care decision that should be made by a woman and her doctor, not by a bunch of politicians in Columbus [Ohio’s capital],” Brown said. “We also voted for Issue 2.”
Change Of Heart
The decision marks a shift for Brown, who has been wary of legalizing recreational cannabis since at least 2015, when Ohio voters rejected a similar ballot measure.
As recently as this past September, the senator said he was undecided on Issue 2.
"It was a hard decision. My wife and I spent a lot of time talking about it," Brown said.
“We voted to legalize because we thought overall regulation—legalization and regulation of marijuana use—the public would be safer doing it that way.”
What Say You, GOP?
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) has remained silent on Issue 2. While Ohio's Republican Governor Mike DeWine and many, not all, members of the Ohio Republican Party have urged voters against approving the marijuana ballot. DeWine went as far as to threaten to overturn or alter the legalization measure if it passes.
Meanwhile, polls show that both Issues 1 and 2 have steady support, up to and in excess of 60%.
Issue 2 would legalize, regulate and tax adult-use marijuana in addition to Ohio's current medical cannabis program. The initiative was led by the Coalition To Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. Voting will take place on Nov. 7.
Photo: Shutterstock
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
Click on the image for more info.
Cannabis rescheduling seems to be right around the corner
Want to understand what this means for the future of the industry?
Hear directly for top executives, investors and policymakers at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, coming to Chicago this Oct. 8-9.
Get your tickets now before prices surge by following this link.