Weed Is Legal In Ohio, But When Can We Actually Get Some?

Ohio voters made their voices heard yesterday, passing two controversial measures – one for abortion rights and one for legalizing marijuana. The latter of the two has many people excited, eager to get their hands on the substance that was once illegal except for medical use (which passed in 2016). However, it looks like they will have to wait for a while, and for a couple reasons.

After years of fighting to legalize it, it’s finally happened in Ohio. Wikimedia.

The New Marijuana Law Isn’t Active Yet.

The cannabis legalization won’t actually take place until December 2nd of this year – 30 days after the pill was passed. This gives lawmakers, police, and other affected groups enough time to get ready for the new law. Once that time has passed, you are then allowed to have up to 2 1/2 ounces of cannabis and up to 15 grams of cannabis extract. But how do you actually get some weed of your own? That depends.

Cannabis distributors, like this one shown here in Alaska, need time to get set up before they will be open for business. Wikimedia.

Cannabis Stores In Ohio Need Licenses First.

Much like selling guns, tobacco, or alcohol, selling marijuana requires a license. Appling for these licenses and then finally receiving them could take several months. The shops also need time to buy property, grow plants, and set up shop. Once that is all said and done, only then will we finally be able to go inside and make a purchase.

Being able to grow your own supply will save you hundreds of dollars compared to buying from shops. Wikimedia.

You Can Grow Your Own Marijuana Plants Instead.

Yep, that’s right. The new Ohio law doesn’t just say you can buy and use weed recreationally – it also says you can grow up to six cannabis plants, or as many as 12 if there are at least two adults 21 or older in the household. That is a lot of dope! The question is, where do you get the seeds from? You can actually buy them online, and there are a wide variety of sellers to choose from. The best part is, buying and shipping seeds is completely legal nationwide since seeds fall under the category of hemp, which is legal in the USA thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill.

Keep an eye out for sales at your local weed stores, as prices are bound to be high in Ohio. Wikimedia.

Expect High Prices.

There will be a whopping 10% tax on all weed sales in the state of Ohio once the law goes into effect in December, and this is on top of the already existing sales tax. The reasoning is that the money will go towards things like public safety, road improvements, drug treatment and prevention and investments into communities “disproportionately impacted by Ohio’s marijuana policy. Its expected that shops will pass this cost onto the consumer, and weed prices will be high.

Every cannabis outlet is bound to use marketing gimmicks to upsell their weed, but it’s a hoax. Wikimedia.

Get Ready For Marketing.

When it comes to just about everything for sale in the United States and abroad, marketing is a huge part of how we perceive the products we buy and affects our choices. From toothpaste to cars, there are teams of people spending millions trying to get you to think a certain way when spending your hard earned cash. Cannabis is no exception to this rule. Despite the fact that THC is simply a molecule with no real difference between plants, and that different strains share 99% or more of the same DNA, weed shops still push the myth that their variety of products are totally unique from one another – touting different effects from different labels. Don’t fall for it!

The only questions you should ask when buying weed is what’s on sale and which has the highest THC count. Everything else is just fancy marketing gimmicks trying to trick you into thinking something called “Strawberry Kush” is somehow different than the label right next to it. Beyond looking and smelling different, there’s nothing else that changed the THC molecule to affect you in any unique way. Similar to wine drinkers who can’t tell the difference when blindfolded, pot users can’t tell the difference without marketing either. The effects that they think they feel are purely psychological – caused by being told by ads how they should feel when they get high with a certain brand. If you switched the labels on them (which marketing does all the time), they would never know the difference. But don’t just take our word for it, do the research yourself (and try not to fall for “sponsored content” while you’re at it!).

Ohio’s lawmakers could alter or repeal, but it would be a lengthy and difficult process that would upset many of their constituents. Wikimedia.

Possible Law Changes.

The new bill isn’t set in stone. It could possibly be altered, or even repealed by lawmakers. While this is unlikely, conservative special interests groups who oppose the new law are sure to put pressure on legislators to try and push back against what voters have already spoken for. However, due to the sheer amount of money the state will be raking in on the weed tax alone it’s probably going to go the same way it has in other states – the law will remain as is with maybe some minor tweaks here and there for business or safety interests.

Enjoy Responsibly!

While it is exciting to have legal weed in the Buckeye State, we should be careful not to abuse the privilege and make the marijuana community look bad by being irresponsible, such as driving while high. This was one of the main concerns opponents of the bill had, suggesting that pot users will increase the number of traffic accidents and other weed related incidents. They also care about kids being exposed, which is why the law stipulated careful placement of weed shops far away from schools. It’s also important to note that smoking weed out in public is still illegal. These are fair points, which is why it’s up to users of recreational cannabis to be careful how and where they enjoy their product. Be safe out there!