Dear Pot Lawyer,
What’s up with Ohio? How did they blow their bid for marijuana legalization?
AFTER NOVEMBER’S election day, marijuana is still not legal in Ohio, and that might be for the best. Although it’s always sort of sad to see a legalization measure fail, it was hard to get behind Ohio’s Issue 3—even though it would have legalized both medical and recreational pot in the state.
First, the measure was pure crony capitalism, and none too subtle about it. Issue 3 would have gifted its small pool of financial backers a monopoly over weed production throughout the entire state. One of those investors was Ohio native Nick Lachey of boy band 98 Degrees. (Remember him?) Others were designer Nanette Lepore, retired pro baller Oscar Robertson, and descendants of President William Howard Taft. Under the measure, every state-regulated shop would have been constitutionally bound to purchase bud from just 10 farms, all owned by a state-sanctioned cartel (of dorks). Reports projected annual cartel revenues at more than $1 billion.
- Image via Dayton Daily News
- It’s Buddie!
Second, the Issue 3 campaign engaged in some questionable and tone-deaf behavior. Even as its staff preached keeping pot away from kids, the campaign rolled out its awful mascot, “Buddie.” Buddie was a superhero cannabis bro whose head was a bud. He also wore a cape and sported six-pack abs. Because Buddie looked kid friendly—à la Joe Camel—children’s advocates across the state targeted the campaign.