Ohio voters have approved the legalization of marijuana, with 56.8% of voters casting their ballots in favor of the measure, known as State Issue 2. The total reported votes were 3,776,782, with the majority of counties voting in favor of legalization. The proposal, initiated by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, establishes a new government program with rules for buying, selling, smoking, and growing adult-use cannabis. Under the new law, Ohioans aged 21 and older will be allowed to buy and possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis and 15 grams of concentrates. They will also be permitted to grow up to six plants individually and no more than 12 in a household with multiple adults.
Despite the approval, the proposal faced opposition from a group of children's hospitals, police, and Republican politicians. However, a USA TODAY Network/Suffolk University poll found that 58.6% of respondents approved of allowing Ohioans over the age of 21 to buy and possess marijuana. The effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Ohio was bankrolled by some of the state's biggest players in cannabis.
In a separate but related issue, signs at a polling location in Canfield, Ohio, caused controversy due to their content about Ohio Issue 1 and the abortion issue. The signs, which stated that 68% of Catholics are pro-choice, were paid for by the Mahoning County Democratic Party. Father John-Michael Lavelle, who said the Family Life Center has served as a polling place for several years, expressed concern about the signs targeting the Catholic population. Bishop David Bonnar also voiced his disagreement with the signs, stating they do not represent the Catholic Church in Ohio's position on Issue One.