Ohio residents could vote to legalize recreational marijuana later this year, though clearing a few obstacles will get the proposal up for a November vote. But the optimism is great.

The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has a proposal that would legalize and regulate the cultivation, manufacture, testing and sale of marijuana to Ohioans 21-year-olds.

Get ready to start collecting signatures… again

Ohio lawmakers have until Wednesday to pass the law, although that likely won’t happen. If no action is taken on the proposed law, legalization advocates can go ahead and begin collecting signatures to get the proposal on the ballot, the Ohio Capital Journal reported. The coalition submitted the proposal through initiated legislation, a legal process that allows citizens to propose changes in state law.

The coalition would need to collect some 124,000 signatures from 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties before the July 5 deadline, a task many believe can be successfully accomplished.

Finally!

Tom Haren, a spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, says he’s confident not only will the proposal get to the vote, but that Ohio voters will finally legalize marijuana.

“It’s going to be on the ballot and it’s going to happen,” Haren said. “Ohio consumers don’t have to rely on their drug dealers or go to Michigan. You will be able to have safe, effective and regulated adult cannabis use right here in Buckeye State. The primary way it will help Ohio is by providing an alternative to the illegal and unregulated market.”

Working with medical marijuana

The legalization of marijuana for adult use is expected to work alongside Ohio’s medical marijuana program. Under the Coalition’s proposal, medical patients and those over 21 will be able to purchase products from currently functioning medical marijuana dispensaries.

Tax dollars from a big market

The annual cost of registering medical marijuana (MMJ) in Ohio is $50 for patients and $25…