# 2023 Ohio Issue 2

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vte :
The Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol initiative, listed on the ballot as Issue 2, is a ballot initiative for legalization of cannabis in the U.S. state of Ohio that was passed by voters on November 7, 2023.

## History

State law in Ohio allows citizens to bring initiatives before the state legislature, with signatures of at least 3 percent of the total vote cast for the office of governor at the last gubernatorial election. These must have been obtained from at least 44 of the 88 counties in Ohio. From each of these 44 counties, there must be signatures equal to at least 1.5 percent of the total vote cast for the office of governor in that county at the last gubernatorial election.
Upon meeting these requirements, a group can force the legislature to consider an initiative. Without action from the General Assembly or the Governor, by collecting more signature of a quantity again meeting the above-mentioned requirements, the group can force to send it to voters on the November ballot. In Ohio, a group called the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol brought the initiative to the Ohio Secretary of State to be a 2022 ballot initiative. It was approved on August 30, 2021, for signature gathering. Over 200,000 signatures were submitted to the state at the end of 2021.
A lawsuit over filing deadlines resulted in the Ohio Secretary of State and the state legislature agreeing the initiative's signatures collected in 2021 and 2022 may be applied toward a 2023 ballot deadline.
In July 2023, on an initial count of valid signatures, supporters came about 650 short. On August 3, more than ten times the remaining number required to validate the initiative for the November ballot were turned in to the secretary of state. On August 16, 2023, the Secretary of State confirmed that the initiative would appear as a referendum ballot on November 7, 2023.
The initiative was passed by voters on November 7, 2023.

## Provisions

Adults age 21 and up may purchase, possess and consume marijuana. Home grow of up to six plants per person or 12 plants per residence is allowed. The Division of Cannabis Control is established within the Ohio Department of Commerce to regulate commerce. Cannabis testing laboratories and supply chain are to be regulated.
The initiative also specifies how tax revenues under the new law would be spent. Thirty-six percent (36%) would be designated for "social equity and jobs" programs, estimated to be as high as $150 million per year. Thirty-six percent (36%) would go to communities that have dispensaries. Twenty-five percent (25%) would go to education and addiction treatment programs, and 3% would be used for regulatory and administrative costs.

## Sponsor

The sponsor of the initiative, Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, is an affiliate of Marijuana Policy Project.

## Politics

Ohio passed medical cannabis (along with decriminalized cannabis) in 2016 under Ohio House Bill 523.
In early 2022, pro-cannabis advocates gathered signatures to send recreational legalization measure to the state legislature. In April, the Senate president publicly announced that he would not bring the measure up for a vote. Under Ohio law, advocates now have a second opportunity to gather more signatures, and if they gather enough, the measure will go on the ballot in November. “The recreational cannabis petition collected 136,000 verified signatures, enough to get considered by the General Assembly, but would require an additional 132,877 signatures to proceed to the ballot.”
The largest organized opposition comes from the Center for Christian Virtue, which believes legalized cannabis will produce negative impacts on neighborhoods and society's drug addiction problems. The main proponent behind the ballot initiative is the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA), which dismissed the Center for Christian Virtue's opposition as "Prohibition-style talking points from 20 years ago."
In October 2023, Republican Senate President Matt Huffman warned that state legislators may repeal key provisions of Issue 2 if it passed.

## Endorsements
### U.S. Senators

* Sherrod Brown, U.S. Senator from Ohio (2007–present) (Democrat)

### U.S. Representatives

* David Joyce, U.S. Representative from OH-14 (2013–present) (Republican)

### State House members

* Jamie Callender, state representative from the 57th district (2019–present; 1997–2004) (Republican)
* Ron Ferguson, state representative from the 96th district (2021–present) (Republican)
* Michele Grim, state representative from the 43rd district (2023–present) (Democrat)
* Allison Russo, Minority Leader of the Ohio House of Representatives (2022–present) and state representative from the 7th district (2023–present) and the 24th district (2019–2022) (Democrat)
* Casey Weinstein, state representative from the 34th district (2023–present) and the 37th district (2019–2022) (Democrat)

### Local officials

* Justin Bibb, 58th Mayor of Cleveland (2022–present) (Democrat)

### Individuals

* Paul Armentano, Deputy Director of NORML and cannabis activist
* Connie Schultz, writer, journalist, and educator
* Brian Vicente, attorney and marijuana rights advocate

### Organizations

* Green Party of Ohio
* Marijuana Policy Project
* National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws

### Newspapers

* The Oberlin Review
* The Plain Dealer

### Statewide officials

* Mike DeWine, 70th Governor of Ohio (2019–present), 50th Attorney General of Ohio (2011–2019), former U.S. Senator from Ohio (1995–2007), 59th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio (1991–1994), and former U.S. Representative from OH-7 (1983–1991) (Republican)

### State Senators

* Niraj Antani, state senator from the 6th district (2021–present) and former state representative from the 42nd district (2014–2020) (Republican)
* Matt Huffman, 96th President of the Ohio Senate (2021–present) and state senator from the 12th district (2017–present) (Republican)
* Steve Huffman, state senator from the 5th district (2019–present) and former state representative from the 80th district (2015–2018) (Republican)
* Terry Johnson, state senator from the 14th district (2019–present) and former state representative from the 90th district (2011–2018) (Republican)
* George Lang, state senator from the 4th district (2021–present) and former state representative from the 52nd district (2017–2021) (Republican)
* Mark Romanchuk, state senator from the 22nd district (2021–present) and former state representative from the 2nd district (2013–2020) (Republican)
* Steve Wilson, state senator from the 7th district (2017–present) (Republican)

### State House members

* Sara Carruthers, state representative from the 47th district (2023–present) and the 51st district (2019–2022) (Republican)
* Jennifer Gross, state representative from the 45th district (2023–present) and the 52nd district (2021–2022) (Republican)
* Phil Plummer, state representative from the 39th district (2023–present) and the 40th district (2019–2022) (Republican)
* Bill Seitz, Majority Leader of the Ohio House of Representatives (2017–present), state representative from the 30th district (2017–present; 2001–2007), and former state senator from the 8th district (2007–2016) (Republican)

### Labor unions

* Ohio Fraternal Order of Police

### Organizations

* Center for Christian Virtue
* Dayton Children's Hospital
* Ohio Business Roundtable
* Ohio Chamber of Commerce
* Ohio Farm Bureau
* Ohio Manufacturers Association
* Ohio Republican Party

### Newspapers

* The Blade

### Organizations

* Ohio Democratic Party

## Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | For | Against | Undecided |
| Data for Progress (D) | October 31 – November 2, 2023 | 582 (LV) | ± 4% | 61% | 34% | 6% |
| Baldwin Wallace University Community Research Institute | October 9–11, 2023 | 569 (RV) | ± 4.5% | 57% | 35% | 8% |
| Fallon Research | August 22–25, 2023 | 501 (RV) | ± 4.37% | 59% | 32% | 9% |
| FM3 Research | August 14–23, 2023 | 843 (LV) | ± 3.5% | 59% | 36% | 5% |
| USA Today/Suffolk University | July 9–12, 2023 | 500 (LV) | ± 4.4% | 58.6% | 34.8% | 6.6% |
* ↑ Key: A – all adults RV – registered voters LV – likely voters V – unclear

## Results by county

Breakdown of voting by county :
| County | Yes, % | Yes, votes | No, % | No, votes |
| Adams | 43.8% | 3,368 | 56.2% | 4,326 |
| Allen | 46.2% | 14,216 | 53.8% | 16,581 |
| Ashland | 45.0% | 8,200 | 55.0% | 10,029 |
| Ashtabula | 55.2% | 16,725 | 44.8% | 13,590 |
| Athens | 70.6% | 13,051 | 29.4% | 5,443 |
| Auglaize | 38.6% | 6,761 | 61.4% | 10,741 |
| Belmont | 48.5% | 9,112 | 51.5% | 9,691 |
| Brown | 50.5% | 6,742 | 49.5% | 6,612 |
| Butler | 57.0% | 64,223 | 43.0% | 48,410 |
| Carroll | 44.8% | 4,091 | 55.2% | 5,043 |
| Champaign | 51.8% | 6,887 | 48.2% | 6,400 |
| Clark | 55.7% | 22,595 | 44.3% | 17,967 |
| Clermont | 57.3% | 42,623 | 42.7% | 31,749 |
| Clinton | 51.5% | 6,768 | 48.5% | 6,385 |
| Columbiana | 48.5% | 15,517 | 51.5% | 16,490 |
| Coshocton | 49.1% | 5,360 | 50.9% | 5,548 |
| Crawford | 46.9% | 6,044 | 53.1% | 6,834 |
| Cuyahoga | 66.8% | 262,816 | 33.2% | 130,329 |
| Darke | 37.9% | 6,853 | 62.1% | 11,232 |
| Defiance | 47.2% | 5,954 | 52.8% | 6,670 |
| Delaware | 55.5% | 53,054 | 44.5% | 42,594 |
| Erie | 58.8% | 16,529 | 41.2% | 11,565 |
| Fairfield | 52.6% | 28,976 | 47.4% | 26,080 |
| Fayette | 48.6% | 3,939 | 51.4% | 4,158 |
| Franklin | 68.0% | 285,835 | 32.0% | 134,764 |
| Fulton | 42.3% | 6,424 | 57.7% | 8,774 |
| Gallia | 44.7% | 3,273 | 55.3% | 4,043 |
| Geauga | 51.8% | 21,078 | 48.2% | 19,588 |
| Greene | 51.9% | 32,034 | 48.1% | 29,747 |
| Guernsey | 50.0% | 5,582 | 50.0% | 5,586 |
| Hamilton | 65.8% | 186,770 | 34.2% | 97,257 |
| Hancock | 46.7% | 11,941 | 53.3% | 13,623 |
| Hardin | 48.7% | 4,014 | 51.3% | 4,235 |
| Harrison | 44.7% | 2,053 | 55.3% | 2,543 |
| Henry | 42.1% | 4,163 | 57.9% | 5,731 |
| Highland | 46.2% | 5,451 | 53.8% | 6,343 |
| Hocking | 53.6% | 4,770 | 46.4% | 4,128 |
| Holmes | 31.4% | 2,731 | 68.6% | 5,961 |
| Huron | 51.6% | 9,209 | 48.4% | 8,635 |
| Jackson | 48.9% | 3,968 | 51.1% | 4,152 |
| Jefferson | 48.9% | 9,691 | 51.1% | 10,123 |
| Knox | 47.8% | 10,576 | 52.2% | 11,557 |
| Lake | 59.0% | 52,940 | 41.0% | 36,735 |
| Lawrence | 51.7% | 8,506 | 48.3% | 7,939 |
| Licking | 52.8% | 32,848 | 47.2% | 29,351 |
| Logan | 49.4% | 7,631 | 50.6% | 7,804 |
| Lorain | 59.6% | 65,952 | 40.4% | 44,634 |
| Lucas | 61.2% | 72,214 | 38.8% | 45,762 |
| Madison | 50.2% | 6,925 | 49.8% | 6,880 |
| Mahoning | 52.0% | 39,060 | 48.0% | 36,106 |
| Marion | 53.4% | 10,025 | 46.6% | 8,742 |
| Medina | 53.8% | 39,752 | 46.2% | 34,097 |
| Meigs | 52.0% | 3,363 | 48.0% | 3,108 |
| Mercer | 34.5% | 6,040 | 65.5% | 11,491 |
| Miami | 48.5% | 19,289 | 51.5% | 20,471 |
| Monroe | 43.7% | 1,818 | 56.3% | 2,339 |
| Montgomery | 60.3% | 101,554 | 39.7% | 66,975 |
| Morgan | 45.2% | 2,073 | 54.8% | 2,512 |
| Morrow | 48.5% | 6,323 | 51.5% | 6,705 |
| Muskingum | 48.9% | 12,285 | 51.1% | 12,814 |
| Noble | 41.8% | 1,716 | 58.2% | 2,387 |
| Ottawa | 54.1% | 9,246 | 45.9% | 7,843 |
| Paulding | 45.1% | 2,837 | 54.9% | 3,449 |
| Perry | 51.8% | 5,632 | 48.2% | 5,239 |
| Pickaway | 48.5% | 9,162 | 51.5% | 9,748 |
| Pike | 47.0% | 3,501 | 53.0% | 3,942 |
| Portage | 58.7% | 33,839 | 41.3% | 23,778 |
| Preble | 47.3% | 6,687 | 52.7% | 7,440 |
| Putnam | 30.8% | 4,423 | 69.2% | 9,938 |
| Richland | 49.8% | 19,945 | 50.2% | 20,074 |
| Ross | 53.0% | 11,359 | 47.0% | 10,058 |
| Sandusky | 52.4% | 10,692 | 47.6% | 9,694 |
| Scioto | 47.6% | 8,424 | 52.4% | 9,283 |
| Seneca | 50.2% | 8,962 | 49.8% | 8,881 |
| Shelby | 39.2% | 6,785 | 60.8% | 10,519 |
| Stark | 51.9% | 65,865 | 48.1% | 61,091 |
| Summit | 60.6% | 115,174 | 39.4% | 75,010 |
| Trumbull | 53.1% | 34,345 | 46.9% | 30,352 |
| Tuscarawas | 42.7% | 12,138 | 57.3% | 16,281 |
| Union | 52.1% | 13,408 | 47.9% | 12,330 |
| Van Wert | 44.6% | 4,296 | 55.4% | 5,330 |
| Vinton | 52.3% | 1,796 | 47.7% | 1,636 |
| Warren | 51.9% | 46,970 | 48.1% | 43,558 |
| Washington | 47.6% | 9,277 | 52.4% | 10,209 |
| Wayne | 44.6% | 16,599 | 55.4% | 20,648 |
| Williams | 43.6% | 5,290 | 56.4% | 6,856 |
| Wood | 55.3% | 25,871 | 44.7% | 20,875 |
| Wyandot | 46.4% | 3,595 | 53.6% | 4,145 |

## Reaction

On November 8, the day after polling, top Republican leaders in Ohio indicated the possibility of overturning the measures approved by the voters in the ballot, along with those of Issue 1 on abortion. Republicans who oppose the initiative are able to change the law and to repeal it due to holding majorities in both the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate. Ohio Senate leader Steve Huffman, a Republican, said that given the result, Ohio legislators "may consider amending the statute to clarify the questionable language regarding limits for THC and tax rates as well as other parts of the statute." While Issue 2 mandates that marijuana tax revenue should be used to regulate marijuana, support substance abuse services, assist industry business owners and fund local governments where recreational business owners exist, Ohio House leader Jason Stephens, also a Republican, called for the Ohio "legislature to lead on how best to allocate tax revenues", and proposed "county jail construction and funding law enforcement training".

## Voter demographics

Ohio Issue 2 vote by demographic subgroup :
| Demographic subgroup | Yes | No | % of total vote |
| Total vote | 57.0 | 43.0 | 100 |
| Age ||||
| 18–29 years old | 84 | 16 | 12 |
| 30–44 years old | 69 | 31 | 22 |
| 45–64 years old | 53 | 47 | 35 |
| 65+ years old | 40 | 60 | 31 |
| Party ID ||||
| Democrat | 79 | 21 | 32 |
| Republican | 30 | 70 | 35 |
| Independent | 64 | 36 | 33 |
| Ideology ||||
| Liberal | 85 | 15 | 34 |
| Moderate | 64 | 36 | 30 |
| Conservative | 23 | 77 | 36 |
| Marital Status ||||
| Married | 50 | 50 | 61 |
| Unmarried | 66 | 34 | 39 |
| Married With Children? ||||
| Yes | 58 | 42 | 23 |
| No | 56 | 44 | 77 |
| Race ||||
| White | 54 | 46 | 85 |
| Black | 72 | 28 | 10 |
| Latino | 66 | 34 | 3 |
| Asian | N/A | N/A | 1 |
| Other | N/A | N/A | 1 |
| Gender ||||
| Male | 58 | 42 | 47 |
| Female | 55 | 45 | 53 |
| Area Type ||||
| Urban | 65 | 35 | 40 |
| Suburban | 52 | 48 | 43 |
| Rural | 54 | 46 | 18 |
| White Born-Again or Evangelical Christian ||||
| Yes | 30 | 70 | 30 |
| No | 68 | 32 | 70 |
| Parents ||||
| Men With Children | 60 | 40 | 14 |
| Women With Children | 60 | 40 | 16 |
| Men Without Children | 57 | 43 | 33 |
| Women Without Children | 53 | 47 | 37 |
| Education ||||
| Never Attended College | 48 | 52 | 18 |
| Some College | 63 | 37 | 23 |
| Associate's Degree | 55 | 45 | 14 |
| Bachelor's Degree | 58 | 42 | 25 |
| Advanced Degree | 57 | 43 | 19 |
| Union Household ||||
| Yes | 63 | 37 | 30 |
| No | 55 | 45 | 70 |
| 2020 Presidential Vote ||||
| Biden | 80 | 20 | 45 |
| Trump | 31 | 69 | 43 |
| Another Candidate | 63 | 37 | 5 |
| Did Not Vote | 64 | 36 | 4 |
| Biden Approval ||||
| Strongly Approve | 79 | 21 | 15 |
| Somewhat Approve | 80 | 20 | 24 |
| Somewhat Disapprove | 65 | 35 | 13 |
| Strongly Disapprove | 35 | 65 | 46 |