Banning marijuana growing at home, increasing the substance’s tax rate and altering how those taxes get distributed are among vast changes Ohio Senate Republicans proposed Monday to a marijuana legalization measure approved by voters last month.
The changes emerged suddenly in committee just days before the new law is set to take effect, though their fate in the full Senate and the GOP-led House is still unclear.
The ballot measure, dubbed Issue 2, passed on the Nov. 7 election with 57 percent of the vote and it set to become law this Thursday, making Ohio the 24th state to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use. But as a citizen-initiated statute, the Legislature is free to make tweaks on it, of which they’re attempting plenty.
All your arguments would apply to apples or spinach too, yet I can grow apples and give them to my neighbor. Laws mostly exist to protect in-groups and oppress out-groups. Having laws against something enjoyed by the out group enables all sorts of harassment, imprisonment, excuses for violence, etc. It doesn’t matter that the laws technically apply to the in-group, they will not be enforced against privileged people.
You left out the remainder of the context:
Marijuana has been illegal at the state level in Illinois since 1931, and federally since 1937 (where, as we all know, it still is). Because of its history of illegality, a large black market has existed, and the operators of that black market are surely still active.
Apples and spinach have never been illegal, for anyone of any age in any amount. There has not been a 90+ year old black market for apples or spinach.
I agree, which is why I am quite happy that recreational marijuana is legal in Illinois, and so many other states.
So then they are just trying to kill competition then at best. The black market exists to fill a need the lit market isn’t. Legalizing dispensaries (and having sane taxes) and growing would essentially eliminate the local cannabis black market or reduce it to a negligible size.
Why have laws against trafficking something like weed? Just because something was illegal long ago should we continue to make like difficult for it’s users?
Which is exactly what is happening. That black market doesn’t dissolve immediately. The previous long term illegality gave it deep roots. As above, five plants with a medical card is fully legal in Illinois. Five plants without a medical card is a $200 maximum fine with no jail time, which is decriminalization.
I’m not even sure what you’re arguing about at this point.
Not sure what point you are making it either.
If the punishment for breaking a law is a FINE then it is only illegal for the poor.
You’re not wrong, but nobody in Illinois is going to raid your house because you have five plants for personal use.
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.