Ohio AG Refuses To Certify Marijuana Legalization Law

On the heels of our piece from last week about the value of seeking state attorneys general (AG) buy-in on draft legislation, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) rejected a petition submission for a proposed law that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in the state. The "Act to Control and Regulate Adult Use Cannabis," penned by the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (the "Coalition"), would permit individuals over the age of 21 to buy, possess, grow and use marijuana, among other things. But, the first step in passing such a law was to submit a summary of same, which must include a "fair and truthful statement of the proposed law," to the AG for certification. Ohio Revised Code ("ORC") Section 3519.01(A). In a letter rejecting the language, AG Yost found that the summary of the proposed law did not meet that standard.