Issue No. 3, a constitutional amendment proposing the legalization of personal and medical use of marijuana, failed by 2 to 1 on Nov. 3, not getting enough votes for its passage in the state of Ohio.
The profit-oriented Issue No. 3, despite having backed up by groups of investors with $20 million for its campaign, was voted against by the citizens of Ohio.
In its report, USA Today presented 6 reasons why the marijuana legalization failed in Ohio.
First is a bad business plan. Issue No. 3 is the first proposal of its kind because one, it is profit-oriented, meaning it is the private sector represented by 10 groups of investors who are backing the campaign. Second, it is the first proposal for legalization without first filing a proposal for medical marijuana. And third, it is the first bill filed simultaneously with another bill called Issue No. 2, which seeks to nullify Issue No.3. And fourth, if passed, the cultivation of marijuana will be limited to the 10 group of investors who campaigned for the bill, hence leading to monopoly.
"Boy, that word monopoly. It's been an ugly word in politics since Theodore Roosevelt's day," political scientist David Niven of the University of Cincinnati said.
Second reason why the marijuana legalization failed is Ohio's political establishment. According to USA Today, the Legislature wrote Issue No. 2. It was presented in such a way that it directly attacks the monopolistic provisions of Issue No. 3. Democratic Rep. Mike Curtin of Columbus, who wrote Issue No. 2, also helped assemble the Ohioans against Marijuana Monopolies. "It was the most audacious proposed amendment in the state's history since we had the initiative process," Curtin said. In the end, the voters chose Issue No. 2.
The third reason is that Issue No. 3 bypassed proposing for the legalization of medical marijuana. The states of Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington that have legalized marijuana have first established marijuana as a medical solution. Ohio's Issue No. 3, apparently, went directly ahead to full legalization and Ohioans were not yet ready for it.
Cleveland.com, in its report, revealed that after the defeat of Issue No. 3, state lawmakers are now considering to move forward with several bills related to medical marijuana. Republicans reportedly are planning to take a "measured and methodical approach" to legalize marijuana.
Fourth reason for the failure of Ohio's weed legalization is that the polls happened at an off-year election. Executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Allen St. Piere said in a statement, "Asking voters to change something in an off-year election, like reforms to marijuana, that's a death knell, when you have only 30% turnout as opposed to 70% turnout in a presidential election year."
Fifth is the movement itself. Franchise Herald previously reported that the monopolistic provisions of Issue No. 3 had discouraged even the advocates of marijuana. Long-time marijuana advocate Don Wirtshafter, who calls marijuana legalization his "life's work," said that he is voting against Issue No. 3 because it will only benefit "opportunists seeking monopolistic gains."
Lastly is advertising. The mascot with a marijuana-shaped head is just not effective at all. "A mascot that people didn't really approve of," described Morgan Fox of Marijuana Policy Project.
