marijuana processing

ResponsibleOhio, which is attempting to legalize marijuana in Ohio, announced Tuesday it will amend its proposal to allow Ohioans to grow cannabis at home.

(Elaine Thompson, Associated Press)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Pro-pot group ResponsibleOhio announced Tuesday it plans to allow adults age 21 and older to grow marijuana at home in a revised proposal to legalize the drug in Ohio for personal and medical use.

Retail customers would pay 5 percent tax on pot and edible pot products instead of the previously proposed rate of 15 percent.

"After extensive conversations with experts and concerned citizens across the state and nation, ResponsibleOhio has decided to include regulated and limited home growing as a part of our amendment," ResponsibleOhio Spokesperson Lydia Bolander said in a press release. "Combined with a lower tax rate for consumers, these changes will make our communities safer by smothering the black market."

Much of the early opposition to ResponsibleOhio's plan has been by other marijuana legalization advocates, including three other groups working on ballot initiatives. The pro-pot groups criticized ResponsibleOhio's plan for only allowing cannabis to be grown at 10 sites promised to campaign backers and for limiting the amount of marijuana someone can buy and possess to 1 ounce.

Adults over age 21 could obtain home grow licenses but would not be allowed to sell to the public, similar to beer enthusiasts brewing their own beverages, according to the press release. Bolander said the revised amendment will follow Oregon's model, which allows adults over age 21 to obtain a license to grow up to four marijuana plants in a secure space.

Oregon's new marijuana laws, approved by voters in 2014, do not require homegrowers to be licensed. Bolander said in an interview licenses are necessary to ensure the product is still regulated and safe for the public.

Bolander said the new language, which was not available Monday afternoon, does not change the amount someone can carry with them or purchase in a store, set at 1 ounce in the group's initial amendment.

"You can grow your own marijuana at home but it's not for sale so there would be no reason for you to transporting such a large quantity," Bolander said.

ResponsibleOhio on Friday submitted a proposed constitutional amendment and nearly 3,000 signatures of Ohio registered voters to the Ohio attorney general for certification. Bolander said the group will circulate new amendment language this week to gather an additional 1,000 signatures and file again with the attorney general.

If certified by the attorney general and deemed a single issue by the Ohio Ballot Board, petitioners must then collect more than 305,591 valid signatures by July 1 to appear on the November ballot.