LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Three months ago, Ohio voters approved marijuana use for adults over 21 years old. While it is legal to smoke marijuana in the state, it is not legal to buy it and that may not happen until the fall.
State lawmakers are worried that could lead to an increase in black market sales of marijuana, which will not be regulated and could be laced with other drugs. The Ohio Senate passed legislation to deal with legally selling marijuana, but the Ohio House has refused to take up the bill.
"The bill we passed in the senate protected the access that people voted for. You are still going to be able to purchase it, they are going to be able to purchase it sooner," says State Senator Rob McColley, 1st District State Senator. "They are going to be able to purchase it through licensed medical dispensaries that are already in place. But unless that goes into effect, at least in the next 6 or 7 months, the only marijuana available to Ohioans is going to be on the black market."
McColley says the provision in State Issue 2 that deals with growing marijuana at home needs to be addressed. The law says one person can grow 6 plants, and a household of 2 or more adults can grow 12 plants, but the criminal penalties for growing don't kick in until double that.
"So, you can grow 23 plants in a household of two people. 23 plants that have three growing cycles. Each growing cycle that may produce enough marijuana for 100 joints. You do the math, in the course of a year, that's 6,900 joints for personal use. That is not good public policy, because that also is going to flood the black market," added McColley.
If Ohio lawmakers don't change the timetable beforehand, people can apply for a license to sell marijuana in June and those approved will not get them until September or October.
