COLUMBUS, Ohio — When Ohioans voted in favor of Issue 2 last year, many believed laws governing the sale of recreational marijuana would take a while, in part because this was a citizen initiatives which gave lawmakers the power to tweak the measure.
That process continues as competing pieces of legislature, House Bill 86 and House Bill 354, try to bring clarity to legal sale of recreational marijuana in the state.
The hope was that rules would be approved by September with a July vote. Now, that appears unlikely and in turn the state misses out on tax revenue with each delay.
On Wednesday, the Director of Ohio Cannabis Control, Jim Canepa, met with members of the Columbus Metropolitan Club.
Canepa, who used to be the superintendent of the Division of Liquor Control, says he plans to enforce the rules surrounding recreational marijuana similar to the way he regulated the sale of liquor across the state.
He told the crowd those who apply and receive a recreational marijuana license—which he says could amount to about 300 licenses initially—will be given a three strike and you're out rule. Mess up once, they will get a warning. Mess up twice and they’ll be placed on a performance improvement plan. Mess up a third time, and they will no longer be part of the program.
“If stoner culture is what people are hoping for, I’m not your guy. It’s going to be professional. It’s going to be responsible. It’s going to be accountable and if diverting and appealing to children, whether it’s advertising labeling packaging, not following the under 21 sales rules, there’s zero tolerance for that,” he said.
Gov. Mike DeWine has urged lawmakers to pass House Bill 86, which would allow recreational marijuana to be sold and increase the tax rate to 15%.
Originally the law, set the tax at 10%.
Under Issue 2, 36% of tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales would have gone into the Social Equity and Jobs Fund. HB 86 would eliminate that.
House Bill 354 does include funding for social equity programs.