Ohio lawmakers are forging ahead, trying again to modify the state鈥檚 recreational cannabis laws, which were enacted via the ballot box in November 2023.
Legalization advocates say that legislators aren鈥檛 listening to them about those modifications, though. Several advocates said in Thursday interviews they worry that what鈥檚 under consideration will hinder the relatively young market and, in some cases, recriminalize a now legal adult-use substance statewide.
Tiffany Wedekind, a 47-year-old who was born and raised on the East Side of Columbus, is possibly the oldest living person with progeria鈥攁 disease that causes her to age at an accelerated pace. Standing at far less than 5-feet-tall, she鈥檚 managing cardiovascular disease and arthritis, among other conditions that come with progeria.
Wedekind said she wants everyone to have access to legal marijuana, which she calls a natural medicine.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 even really understand the science behind it until I got older, and when I was able to get it in a regulated format, rather than just calling Joe Schmo,鈥� Wedekind said Thursday. 鈥淏ecause you don't know what you're getting.鈥�
She said she sees few lawmakers working to better understand why some Ohioans are passionate about protecting the system put in place by Issue 2.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e just looking at the politics and the money machine behind it, and they鈥檙e not really taking into consideration what it鈥檚 being used for, and how many other things that are regulated and legal that are killing people like tobacco, cigarettes, alcohol, pharmaceuticals,鈥� Wedekind said.
Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord) has been advocating for pro-marijuana policies for years, and said education is an ongoing conversation with colleagues. Callender was one of three or four lawmakers to visit the Ohio Cannabis Lobby Day at the Statehouse.
鈥淭he majority of our legislators are so outside the world of cannabis that they don't see the benefits of it,鈥� Callender said Thursday. 鈥淭here are a lot of veterans, there are a lot of business owners, there are a lot of folks that contribute to society, that pay their taxes, that raise families, that for whatever reason have chosen cannabis rather than chemo or rather than alcohol.鈥�
Callender said the latest House version of changes inches closer to what he sees as good legislation.
That bill, , includes a public smoking ban but allows for marijuana smoking and combustion on residential privately-owned property, like a person鈥檚 front porch. The Senate version, , limits Ohioans to partaking inside private residences. It also leaves home grow alone, maintaining a 12-plant maximum per household.
Still, Callender said he has some reservations.
Both bills limit how concentrated dispensaries鈥� THC products can be, maxing out at 35% for plants and 70% for concentrates and extracts, although the Ohio Department of Commerce could raise or lower that figure.
It鈥檚 unclear so far which, if any, tweaks will make it to Gov. Mike DeWine鈥檚 desk. Lawmakers have gone back and forth over changes for more than a year.
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