Ohio’s New Miami Village Council unanimously voted on June 27 to fire Police Chief Harold Webb following accusations made by Mayor Jewell Hayes-Hensley that his office smelled of marijuana, reported the New York Post based on a letter from the mayor's office obtained by Ohio's Fox 19.

Ohio fully legalized cannabis in a November 2023 ballot measure.

What Happened: The situation began on June 20, when Hayes-Hensley reported a strong marijuana odor in Webb's office while she and another council member were in there to collect his daily logs.

"The first thing that came out of my mouth was who has been smoking weed in here. The smell of marijuana could knock you off your feet," wrote the mayor of New Miami Village, a town in southeastern Ohio, population 2,226.

Webb, who has been Miami Village’s police chief for about a year, attributed the weed odor the 850 grams of marijuana he confiscated in a March raid. However, the town council did not accept his explanation and voted to remove him.

Read Also: Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Will Soon Change Their Shingle And Include Recreational Weed Sales As $1B Program Moves Forward

Marijuana Odor From A Bust That Occurred Four Months Ago?

In the same pot-odor letter, the mayor accused Webb of stealing hot dogs from a gas station when only free soda was allowed on duty, refusing to respond to 911 calls, "theft of office," falsifying timesheets and daily logs, and "cashing his paycheck knowing he was required to show proof of his being at work."

Whether Webb’s dismissal was based on the marijuana smell or the stolen hotdogs, it’s worth noting that the duration of cannabis odor does not last four months. Even if the chief was slowly smoking up his 850 grams of weed booty, cannabis smoke and its smell tend to linger in a room only four to six hours, say experts, and does not cling to the furniture or curtains like tobacco.

Letter To The Chief: Take A Drug Test Or Else

The New Miami town attorney hand-delivered a letter to Webb at his home on June 24 notifying him that he had until 5 p.m. the following day to take a drug test at Mayor Hayes-Hensley’s request or face "disciplinary action."

Webb proceeded to the testing site on June 25 although once there, he refused to provide a urine sample in front of a nurse, calling the process "belittling."

Webb then texted the mayor. "You know, what you win," he wrote. "This is the third time you have questioned my integrity."

The mayor’s response? Good-bye and good luck.

"Sorry things didn't work out," Hayes-Hensley wrote back. “Please turn in all your New Miami Village properties along with your resignation and leave all access to video cameras (and) computers turned over to me."

Now Read:

• Cherokee Tribe In North Carolina Kick Off Legal Weed Sales As State Lawmakers Turn A Deaf Ear To Medical Marijuana Yet Again

Photo: Courtesy of Monroe Police Department