"Ohio Senate Approves Higher Tax and Fewer Plants in Recreational Marijuana Bill"

The Ohio Senate has approved revisions to the Issue 2 adult recreational marijuana law, which include raising the tax on sales, reducing home grow limits, and lowering certain THC levels. The changes would need to be approved by the Ohio House and signed by Gov. Mike DeWine before becoming law. The Senate bill has bipartisan support and is backed by DeWine. Notably, the revised proposal allows Ohioans 21 and older to buy recreational marijuana within 90 days, instead of waiting until 2024 as originally stated in Issue 2. Other changes include setting a six-plant limit for home grow (down from 12), a 15% flat tax on recreational sales (up from 10%), and a provision for expunging records for those convicted of possessing under 2.5 ounces of marijuana. The Senate's vote comes just hours before Issue 2 goes into effect, addressing concerns about the window between legalized possession and legalized sale.