Marijuana & Ohio Past, Present, Potential
MARIJUANA & OHIO PAST, PRESENT, POTENTIAL A research-based public policy review and discussion presented by the Marijuana Policies of Ohio Taskforce Joe Deters, Chair June 2015 Table of Contents Chair’s Letter . 2 Executive Summary . 3 Impact on Ohio’s Economy . 35 Impact on Public Safety . 53 Consequences of Marijuana Possession Offenses . 69 Impact on Individual and Public Health . 81 Appendix A: Bibliography . 147 Appendix B: The Economic Model Used . 166 Appendix C: Taskforce Members . 179 MARIJUANA POLICIES OF OHIO TASKFORCE 1 My Fellow Ohioans, Our nation’s laws, perceptions and opinions about marijuana are evolving rapidly . After spending much of the 20th Century imposing ever-stricter prohibitions on marijuana, America has recently taken a second look at the impacts of marijuana use, its potential as a medicine, and the tangible tradeoffs and costs that criminalizing its possession has had on our communities . This reevaluation has pushed the national conversation about marijuana, broadly, in one direction: toward a less restrictive, less criminalized stance . This conversation is taking place in every state, and true to the genius of our Constitution, different states are trying to find approaches to marijuana law that most appropriately reflect the opinions, beliefs, and needs of their citizens . The question of changing Ohio’s approach to marijuana policy may soon be put before voters – most likely on the November 2015 ballot . The rapid pace of change in marijuana policy across the country, however, has made it difficult to keep up with the experiences, research, and practices occurring in different states . Political arguments from all sides of this debate have made it even more challenging to separate fact from opinion .
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