Ohio voters approved a measure legalizing recreational marijuana yesterday, making it the 24th state in the union to do so.
The “yes” vote means that people age 21 and over in the state will be able to use, grow, or sell marijuana under a regulation-and-tax program imposed by the state.
“Marijuana is no longer a controversial issue,” said Tom Haren, spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. “Ohioans demonstrated this by passing State Issue 2 in a landslide. Ohioans are being extremely clear on the future they want for our state: adult-use marijuana legal and regulated.”
The new measure will go into effect 30 days from now.
A ballot measure seeking to enshrine abortion protections into Ohio’s state constitution is also projected to pass.
“Seven times abortion has been put on the ballot across the country, and seven times voters have turned out overwhelmingly to defend it,” said Mini Timmaraju, president of Reproductive Freedom for All, via the New York Times. “Once again, voters sent a clear message to Republicans and anti-abortion extremists: We believe in the right to abortion, and we are the majority.”
Ohio’s six-week abortion ban was blocked by a court last year but is being considered by the state Supreme Court.
“We stand ready during this unthinkable time to advocate for women and the unborn, just as we have always done,” Protect Women Ohio, the leading group working to oppose the ballot initiative, said in a statement. “We persevered for 50 years to overturn Roe v Wade. Ours is a movement that has always endured, and always will.”
The Conservatives may be forced to reconsider their approach when it comes to abortion rights, as measures backing abortion rights have won in every election so far.
