Some marijuana activists in Ohio believe it’s only a matter of time before people in the Buckeye state will enjoy the same freedoms as those in Colorado and Washington — the freedom to use cannabis legally.

Activist Brian Joslyn, a member of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said he didn’t expect help from the Ohio Legislature in legalizing cannabis; instead, he believes the people need to do it for themselves, reports 10TV News

“I think if everybody was just given a ballot right now to vote on this measure, I think it would pass,” he said.

As a lawyer, Joslyn said he’d seen the negative effects that marijuana prohibition has on dozens of clients, including a recent couple.

“His wife has cancer so he was growing marijuana and providing her with edible marijuana,” Joslyn said.

Now, both the cancer-stricken wife and her husband are behind bars.

According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, in order to get a voter initiative started, pro-marijuana groups would have to submit a petition signed by 1,000 registered voters. Once that step has been verified by the state Attorney General, proponents would have to get 385,000+ signatures from voters in at least 44 counties in Ohio.