Full details of Marijuana Policy Project’s ballot initiative to legalize medical cannabis in Ohio have been published online, and in a conference call with reporters Tuesday morning, MPP head Rob Kampia expressed confidence that his organization will prevail in November.
“If we’re able to collect these signatures by early July, then this initiative will pass in November,” Kampia told reporters. “The support for medical marijuana is at 74% in Ohio, and that’s pretty traditional across the states.”
The initiative differs greatly from last year’s failed attempt by ResponsibleOhio to legalize both medical and recreational cannabis. Though MPP’s initiative would limit the number of large-scale growers with up to 25,000 square feet to just 15 licensees, there would be an unlimited number of licensees that would be allowed to cultivate up to 5,000 square feet.
Aside from those two types of licenses, there would be four others if MPP is successful in Ohio, including dispensaries, testing labs, producers (i.e. infused product makers) and distributors.
License fees would be $5,000 for each, except for the large-scale cultivators, which would have to pony up $500,000 for a permit.
There will also be a residency requirement for business ownership in Ohio until 2020, mandating that any license applicant have been a resident of the state prior to Jan. 1, 2016.
Further details on the initiative can be found here.
