4 Ohio cities decriminalize cannabis

Whereas 8 American states legalize cannabis for recreational or medical use, 4 Ohio cities have voted to decriminalize possession of 200 grams of cannabis or consumer accessories (bongs, leaves, grinders, etc...), without fines or jail time.

These measures are restricted to the cities of Newark, Bellaire, Logan and Roseville, not their counties, and join the city of Toledo, which had already decriminalized cannabis in 2015.

«If the legislature doesn't want to change the laws, we have the power to change them ourselves, and that's what we've done,» said Bill Schmitt, leading the decriminalization movement in the town of Bellaire.

Other cities are expected to follow suit with their own initiatives in 2017 and 2018.

Ohio legislated back in the 1970s that possession of less than 100 grams of cannabis was a misdemeanor, punishable only by a fine and the loss of a driver's license. Each locality could, of course, legislate as it saw fit, adopting rules that were more or less tolerant.

In addition, the’Ohio legalized medical cannabis in June 2016 for serious disorders such as cancer, PTSD and epilepsy. However, patients in Ohio who want to treat themselves with medical cannabis will not be able to buy weed for another year, while a state production chain is set up.

The 4 Ohio cities based their campaigns on Toledo's. The city's Law Director took the opportunity to say that «no one has ever called to say that our schools have turned into hippie dens. I don't think there's been any more marijuana use than there was before decriminalization was passed.».

In the USA, cities can pass ordinances to legislate on particular topics. Unlike the ballot initiatives that legalized recreational cannabis in California, Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts, these ordinances require fewer signatures and less money to put on the ballot.