Bill Schmitt’s recent cryptic post on his personal Facebook page generated quite a bit of buzz and anticipation.

Schmitt notated to stay tuned as he was about to “drop a bomb on the world.”

Those who knows Schmitt are aware where his passions lie and what said bombshell might be about—marijuana and, in particular, marijuana legalization.

Unbeknownst to his friends and social media followers, Schmitt was prepping for a conference call with the group behind the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Amendment recently submitted to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. Following that call, Schmitt’s personal feelings of the proposal were more lightning of a firecracker than dropping a bomb.

“It was exciting at first because it is legalization and it is progress,” Schmitt said. “But the more I learned, the more I fear that this group may be in with the state already due to the fact that there are already license holders in the state and this proposal is leaving so much power in the state’s hands.”

A sign that promote legalization.
There’s a new push in Ohio to legalized recreational use of cannabis.

But First, What’s in the Amendment?

The amendment calls for adults aged 21 and over to be legally permitted to purchase, possess and consume marijuana, as well as participate in-home cultivation without a medicinal cannabis prescription. Naturally, there are limits.

Individuals would be limited to purchasing or possessing one ounce of flower at a time, or eight grams of concentrate. An ounce is equal to roughly 28.3 grams.

Eleven other states nationally have legalized recreational use. Of those, nearby Michigan, along with Maine, allows for up to 2.5 ounces of flower. Ohio’s proposed amount is on the low end of the spectrum and only Washington’s seven allowable grams of concentrate is less than Ohio’s proposal. In terms of plants, individuals can have up to six plants, but only three in the flowering stage. Michigan, Maine and Massachusetts allow for 12 total plants, half of which can be flowering in Massachusetts.

Washington doesn’t allow individual cultivation for non-medicinal users. Those who are eligible for medicinal marijuana may have up to 15.

Schmitt knows it’s a start, but he has serious reservations if it’s enough. He’d know. In addition to being the driving force behind the movement to get marijuana possession decriminalized in Bellaire, Schmitt has led or assisted campaigns in a number of towns across Ohio, including Cleveland.

“I have collected more signatures than anyone in this state and I think I have a good read on what people want and what they will vote for,” Schmitt said. “I know we could get a full six plants and get 2.5 ounces of flower for possession. This plan is progress. I don’t want to stand in front of it or try to stop it from happening.

“I just want people to be aware, as an activist who’s been on the inside, what so far I’ve seen of how this has come out, it feels sketchy.”

Signs support cannabis legaliation.
Schmidt led the charge to get marijuana decriminalized in Bellaire.

Reservations, Help and Advice Offered Yet Ill Received.

Working with the Sensible Movement Coalition both in a leadership role and assisting decriminalization campaigns, Schmitt knows his way around this issue. He’s a leading voice in the state in the legalization community.

The group has helped decriminalize marijuana for more than 2 million Ohioans. So, when he was underwhelmed by the plan, naturally, he had questions. For starters, why only one ounce when other states showed that two or was a real possibility. And why only three flowering plants.

“We’ve decriminalized marijuana for more than 2 million people in Ohio, so it was kind of disrespectful and a smack in the face,” Schmitt said. “They aren’t using activists like us or even giving the medicinal patients an opportunity to really help.

“They told us the language, six plants, only three flowering, one ounce, etc., but they didn’t give us the opportunity to revise the language. They need to be transparent about things.”

Schmitt also feels like too much is being left up to the state. Given the less than stellar roll out and usage rates of Ohio’s medicinal program, he doesn’t believe this is an avenue that needs revisited. Ohio’s House Bill 523 set the medicinal marijuana program into existence, establishing advisory boards from the state’s commerce and pharmacy boards. Cultivator licenses and dispensaries were approved but limited. Participation is noticeably lacking.

“Only two percent of Ohio’s patients are even signed up and of that total, only 25-35 percent are even using it,” Schmitt said. “I’m a medical marijuana patient in Ohio and I’ve been to the dispensary, maybe once or twice. I need medicine every day, but it costs way too much to drive 45 minutes to and from (Wintersville).”

For Ohio Valley residents, there are two dispensaries locally. Both are in Wintersville. The next closest is in Coshocton. Schmitt also noted that a medicinal patient can sometimes go through upwards of a gram per day in 60-day cycles for their pain prevention. If there is a limit of 8 grams total possessed for concentrate, does that mean a patient will have to travel to the dispensary every eight days for treatment? There are patients now that are having trouble having enough supply to last the 90-day prescription periods.

An activist with several friends.
Schmidt with other supporters, including Cleveland Ward 6 Councilman Blaine A. Griffin after the municipality decriminalized marijuana.

Missing a Prime Opportunity?

While the petition with the initial 1,000 signature was filed on March 2 at the AG office, there’s still a long way to go to getting this proposal on the ballot. There’s not a lot of time to do what needs doing either. The state has 10 days to sign off on the measure. If it does, the state ballot board will have another 10 days to review so it’s properly formatted as a single-issue amendment. If that step is a go, then the group will have until July 1 to collect 443,000 signatures to bring the measure before voters.

Schmitt knows it’s a time consuming and expensive task. The late start doesn’t help either.

“It costs so much money in Ohio; millions of dollars to even have the opportunity,” Schmitt said. “We spent $20-30 million on the 2016 ballot measure and only got 30 percent of the vote.”

Schmitt noted that in 2016, only 305,000 signatures were need. When Responsible Ohio first turned in their signatures, they were 37,000 short. The state gave them a 10-day supplemental window to collect the rest and the group scrambled to meet the deadline. Now, more than 100,00 additional signatures are required.

Schmitt noted he’d sign the petition and support the measure because it is progress. But he’s also disappointed because of how it’s being done, who is appearing to benefit the most, and what potential benefits are being left on the table setting such a low bar with what the amendment is asking.

This was the prime time to get a real, meaningful measure on the November ballot. Nothing brings out voters like a presidential election and this year’s race figures to be more polarizing than most, drawing large numbers of voters.

“This was supposed to be the year to do it with the presidential election,” Schmitt said. “The younger generation comes out to vote who normally wouldn’t in just a local or statewide race. If we don’t do it this year, it will probably not be until 2024 until we can seriously try again.”

Schmitt is supporting the measure but he’s doing it with a heavy heart, wondering what could have been if it passes, and lamenting the opportunity wasted if it doesn’t.

“We’ll just have to see what happens,” he added. “I’ll support it and I’ll work for it.”