Last week, we reported that a pro-legalization group in Ohio called Responsible Ohio had revealed the details of their campaign to pass a constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana in the state. My analysis noted that the proposal is far from ideal due to the cartelized enterprise the amendment would create.

The proposal would create a seven-member Marijuana Control Commission, five marijuana testing facilities to check potency, and would only license ten legal growing locations. This boondoggle of an amendment would basically hand control for growing, selling, and distributing of marijuana over to the state government.

Luckily, there is another option for the good people of Ohio. A Political Action Committee (PAC) called Responsible Ohioans for Cannabis are pushing to get enough signatures in order to get their ballot initiative, End Ohio Cannabis Prohibition Act (EOCPA), onto the ballot for Ohioans to vote on it in 2016. The proposal presented by the Responsible Ohioans for Cannabis would allow for entrepreneurs, not government bureaucrats, to develop the quickly growing legal marijuana market.

The summary of the proposal is incredibly detailed. The following is a list of some of the most important aspects of the proposal:

“Any person who is at least 18 years of age may produce, cultivate, possess, transport, distribute, consume, or otherwise engage in the use of cannabis products for personal use and cannabis paraphernalia.”

“There shall be no age restrictions for any cannabis, cannabis products, or cannabis paraphernalia or equipment that is not intended for personal use. Medical necessity for cannabis, cannabis products, cannabis products for personal use, and cannabis paraphernalia may be used as an affirmative defense in the State of Ohio for persons of any age.

“This article prohibits testing for cannabis metabolites as a requirement for employment, insurance, and any licenses, and from being considered in determining other impairment or intoxication. No person shall be considered under the influence of cannabis products for personal use solely because of the presence of metabolites or components of cannabis in his or her body.”

“Any licensed commercial production company, licensed commercial retail company, University, vocational school, or any individual may research cannabis and any cannabis product for any of its industrial, environmental, medical, or other applications, and they may educate the public in regards to their findings, or findings from credible studies done elsewhere.”

“The commercial production of cannabis shall have no limits on the number of cannabis plants to be cultivated or the amount of cannabis products for personal use that may be possessed at any given time. The non-commercial production of cannabis shall be limited to cultivation of no more than 99 cannabis plants and possession of no more than 99 kilograms of cannabis products for personal use at any given time.”

“There may be no limits or restrictions placed on the potency of cannabis products for personal use by any governing body in the State. A rating system of potency may be established, if necessary, but may only be used as a source of reference.”

“The legislature may also (1) place a sales tax on the commercial sales of cannabis and cannabis products for the State at the prevailing sales tax rate, (2) determine an acceptable and uniform standard of determining impairment based on performance testing, to restrict persons impaired by cannabis products for personal use from operating, navigating, or controlling any motor vehicle, aircraft, or motorboat, or otherwise engaging in conduct that may affect public safety while under the influence of cannabis products for personal use, and (3) regulate the personal use of cannabis products in enclosed and/or restricted public places, in any correctional facility, or on any form of public transportation, except that any property or business owner shall have the sole discretion as to whether or not cannabis products for personal use may be possessed, cultivated, or consumed on their property.”

I tried to limit the list to the most important and noteworthy aspects of the proposal, but you would be short-changing yourself if you neglected to read the full text of the amendment.

When comparing these two amendments to determine which one better protects individual rights, the Responsible Ohioans for Cannabis one wins in a landslide. The law provides for use of medical marijuana for persons of any age, leaves the market wide open for anyone over the age of eighteen to participate, and so much more. Unfortunately, the ability for government to place a sales tax on commercial sales is built into the law, but with individuals permitted to grow up to ninety-nine plants for personal use, the revenue generated by taxation would pale in comparison to what has been generated in Colorado and thus would have a reduced impact on the market.

Supporters of government coercion and control on both sides of the aisle will push for the more draconian of the two bills. Proponents for a government controlled marketplace for marijuana, Responsible Ohio, have made the choice confusing by essentially copying the name of the individual rights defending Responsible Ohioans for Cannabis. For all the Ohioans out there who are confused by the similar names, remember that you can’t spell Buckeye without a “C” for Cannabis. The Responsible Ohioans for Cannabis deserve the full support of the buckeye state.

Liberty links!

Instead of posting several links today, we instead chose to post a very important interview by Ben Swann with Danny August Mason, David Crowley’s creative partner for the Gray State film project. Of course, this interview is on the heels of the tragic death of David Crowley, his wife, and young daughter. Police on the scene ruled it a murder suicide, but many questions surround the tragedy. Ben and Danny discuss the tragedy and the future of the Gray State film project.

Here is the link mentioned in the interview to assist Komel Crowley’s mother, Naila Alam, who is currently suffering from cancer.

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