The group trying to get marijuana legalization onto the November ballot has unveiled the list of investors backing their controversial effort.
The group is also firing back after statewide officeholders scolded the plan at a media forum last week. Ohio Public Radio's Andy Chow reports.
ResponsibleOhio is leading the charge on the latest effort to legalize pot in Ohio. But their initiative has not come without controversy. The group has released information about its issue very slowly, and has yet to put out the full language of the ballot issue.
Something that makes ResponsibleOhio stand out from legalization efforts in the past is the list of wealthy backers. We now know that list includes NBA Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson—former Cincinnati Bengal and Cleveland Brown Frostee Rucker—fashion designer Nanette Lepore, who is also the sister of Democratic Representative Michele Lepore-Hagan of Youngstown—and other business leaders.
ResponsibleOhio’s Lydia Bolander hopes these investors can give the ballot initiative some serious credibility.
“People will see this list of individuals and know that they are prominent business women and men who have created—together—thousands of jobs and are in an expert position to do that through this proposal as well,” said Bolander.
The group released the names of their investors one day after Ohio’s statewide officeholders slammed the initiative. Attorney General Mike DeWine called it “stupid,” while Secretary of State Jon Husted called it an “awful” plan. They were mostly harping on the language that says it would only create 10 growing sites in Ohio—language the officeholders argue creates a monopoly for those investors.
Auditor Dave Yost says Ohio needs to stop initiatives that write such language into the state’s constitution.
“What are we going to have next? Twelve monopolies for whorehouses in the 12 largest counties? It’s outrageous,” said Yost.
Bolander fired back. She confirmed that the investors will be responsible for overseeing and running the production of those growing sites, but the group still hasn’t released the locations of the growing sites or the owners of those plots of land. However, Bolander says the initiative is about more than just who would be allowed to grow pot in Ohio and where.
“The growing locations are really just one piece in a very intricate supply chain where numerous other jobs will be created and many opportunities will exist for other entrepreneurs,” Bolander said.
That includes people who would want to open retail stores or create lines of alternative products like lotion and edibles.
DeWine says the edible pot products are causing a lot of problems in Colorado—which voted to legalize marijuana in 2012. He claims people have been rushed to the hospital and even died because of overly potent items.
Bolander argues the initiative before Ohio voters would create a system much different than Colorado’s. She says there are strong regulations in place from the time the weed is grown on site to when it gets to the consumer.
The plan—as Bolander explains—would be enforced by a commission also created through the initiative.
“The marijuana control commission will have authority to set up regulation about properly labeling and packaging so the goal is that the packaging can be clear and that the consumer understands how to safely consume any product that their buying at the licensed retail store,” Bolander said.
She wouldn’t say exactly when the specific ballot petition language will be released only that it was “forthcoming.”
Other major leaders at the Statehouse have voiced their reservations about the plan—including top Democratic Senator Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, who says he’d rather see more money going towards medical research into marijuana.
