Ohioans voted on Tuesday to make their state the 24th to legalize recreational marijuana by voting yes on Issue 2.
The law will take effect Dec. 7 to allow Ohioans over 21 to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and up to 15 grams of marijuana concentrates. The ballot-initiated statute also allows adults to grow up to six personal marijuana plants, with a 12-plant limit per household with multiple adults.
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Tuesday's vote will also start the establishment of the Division of Cannabis Control, responsible for regulating business licenses for the sale of recreational marijuana.
Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) voiced his opposition to Issue 2 because it favors existing medical marijuana dealers who already have licenses "over anybody else" trying to enter the market.
Medical marijuana in Ohio became legal in September 2016 via legislature-initiated law, but conservative members of Ohio's state House have staunchly opposed the recreational ballot statute.
Unlike Issue 1, the ballot initiative to implement a constitutional amendment on abortion rights, Issue 2 is a statutory measure, meaning the legislature can amend the law at any point.
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce, which was against Issue 2, previously told the Washington Examiner it would be prepared to offer its perspective to the legislature on how to improve the bill.
Rick Carfagna of the chamber told the Washington Examiner ahead of Tuesday's vote that his organization was "ready to be constructive" should Issue 2 pass. "We want to come to the table with some solutions and with some ideas on how to really put in some tighter guardrails and make sure that this is being done responsibly."
Carfagna said he expected those solutions to be bipartisan in nature, such as ensuring private business owners can forbid cannabis in all forms on their property and that marijuana and alcohol could not be sold in the same location.
Critics of Issue 2 also said they were concerned that the tax revenue from cannabis would not go toward increased funds for law enforcement to crack down on problems of intoxication.
In addition to regular state and local sales taxes, Issue 2 established a 10% cannabis tax for adult-use sales. A significant portion of these funds, 36%, would go toward social equity and jobs programs, most of which would go toward job training for the cannabis industry.
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The remainder of the funds would go toward community-building for localities with adult-use dispensaries, addiction treatment and education, and administrative costs.
"Our supporters come from all backgrounds: Democrats, Republicans, veterans, patients, mothers, and fathers," said Tom Haren, spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol, the leading voice in the "yes" campaign. "They know that our plan to regulate and tax adult-use marijuana is good for Ohio and good for Ohioans."