Ohioans will vote on marijuana legalization this fall

The campaign to legalize marijuana in Ohio made it onto the November ballot by collecting the required 305,591 valid voter signatures, according to ResponsibleOhio Executive Director Ian James, who said he received a certification letter from Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted’s office.

Husted’s office also confirmed that the issue is certified to make the ballot.

Voters will decide whether Ohio should switch from a complete prohibition of marijuana to allowing people to use it as medicine and permitting adults to smoke and consume pot for recreation. If it passes, adults would be allowed to buy marijuana from retail shops, possess up to an ounce of pot, and grow indoors at home up to eight plants.

The bulk of the weed will produced by 10 indoor growing factories that are controlled by the investors who are bankrolling the constitutional amendment campaign.

Backers have already raised $20 million for the campaign and another $20 million for land acquisition and they’re working to pull together another $100 to $300 million to finance the marijuana growing, manufacturing and retailing businesses, according to Ian James, executive director of ResponsibleOhio.

Meanwhile, opposition is getting organized. The Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday announced the launch of a coalition of area businesses and organizations united against the expansion of marijuana use in the Dayton region and Ohio.