Ohio Republicans Move to Undermine Voter-Legalized Marijuana

In November 2023, the people of Ohio made themselves perfectly clear. With 57% of the vote, they chose to legalize adult-use marijuana under Issue 2. Dispensaries opened, tax revenue flowed in, jobs were created, and communities finally began to benefit from a policy that was decades overdue. But predictably — and quickly — Ohio’s Republican lawmakers signaled they had no intention of letting the will of the people stand unchallenged.

New proposals — Senate Bill 56 and House Bill 160 — have been introduced to gut the heart of Issue 2. Limits on home growing. THC caps designed to hobble small producers. Bans on public use even in controlled venues. Most disturbingly, plans to redirect the marijuana tax revenue away from the community reinvestment and social equity programs voters were promised, and into the hands of law enforcement and general state funds. They’ve barely waited six months, and already they are rewriting the law you passed.

What’s the excuse? “Safety.” Protecting “the children.” The usual tired phrases that cover for power plays and corporate favoritism. Big producers, wealthy investors, and out-of-state interests are salivating at the chance to control Ohio’s cannabis market — while small local growers, independent dispensaries, and working-class entrepreneurs are quietly being pushed out. The promise of local control is dying before it even began.

And let’s be blunt: this isn’t just about marijuana. It’s about democracy itself. When voters speak — loudly — and legislators move to undo it in back rooms and committee meetings, what’s the point of the vote? If Issue 2 can be gutted by the very people Ohioans voted around, why bother pretending this is government by the people?

The fight over marijuana legalization is the canary in the coal mine. Today it’s weed. Tomorrow it’s abortion rights, public education, LGBTQ protections — all fair game for the same quiet legislative theft. And unless people show up, speak out, and remind Columbus that this is not their private kingdom, the theft will continue unchecked.

So here’s where you come in — and where this zine matters. Call your lawmakers. Tell your friends. Print this article. Leave it in break rooms, bus stops, campus bulletin boards. Post about it. Talk about it. Don’t let this become another quiet surrender. When they say “the people have spoken” and then ignore you, you speak louder.

If you voted for Issue 2 — if you wanted legal, fair, community-driven marijuana in Ohio — the fight isn’t over. It’s only just started. And like every fight worth having in this state, it will be long, bitter, and hard-won. But you’ve already seen what happens when you stay silent. Don’t do it again.