Ohio says NO to legalized marijuana

Marijuana

Ohio voters have rejected a ballot measure seeking to legalize recreational and medical marijuana use in the state. Failure of the proposed constitutional amendment follows an expensive campaign, a legal fight over its ballot wording and an investigation into the proposal's petition signatures. The measure known as Issue 3 on Tuesday's ballot would have allowed adults 21 and older to use, purchase or grow certain amounts of marijuana. The constitutional amendment would have established a regulatory and taxation scheme while creating a network of 10 growing facilities. Those growing sites also were targeted in a separate ballot question aimed at preventing monopolies from being inserted into Ohio's constitution for the economic benefits of a few.
Four states already allow recreational pot, but approved medical marijuana first. Ohio could have made history by legalizing both at the same time. As CBS News' Barry Petersen reported before the vote, unlike other states that have legalized pot, a "yes" vote would have amended the constitution to allow only 10 groups of already hand-picked investors the exclusive right to grow the state's entire supply of pot. Popular two-term former governor Bob Taft was one of the amendment's most vocal opponents.
"This is not the right way to do it," said Taft before the vote. "If it's not a monopoly, it's an oligopoly you're talking about -- 10 growing sites."
And when a Taft speaks, Ohio listens. For a century the family has produced politicians, from senators to a president.
"They're going to control the entire market in a state of 11 million people. So that is an exclusive, commercial right," said Taft previously. "I don't think that the tax benefits outweigh the hazards, the risks of going full for recreational-medical all the way, flooding our state with edible products that are attractive to our kids."
Woody Taft, Bob's distant cousin, found himself on the opposite side of the issue, as one of the investors who will get to grow the pot.
"I'm in this first because I believe that right, and I'm in it second to make money," he had said.
Woody and 23 other investors had funded $20 million of the $24 million pro-legalization campaign as of mid-October.

Source: CBS News