Ohioans Who Support Cannabis Legalization Urged to Contact Legislators before Dec. 7th

Last week Ohio voters passed Issue 2, legalizing adult-use cannabis. Portions of the law go into effect Dec. 7th, however some legislators have spoken in opposition to the vote and plan to make changes. 

Although Gov. Dewine said yesterday that the changes to the new law won’t contain surprises, mistrust runs deep among Ohioans who voted yes expecting certain details to be included in the law. Citizens worried their vote won’t be reflected by lawmakers are urged to voice their opposition before the measure becomes law next month. Here’s how advocates can do that:

Which Details of Issue 2 are Under Threat of Repeal?

Some of the rights afforded to Ohioans by Issue 2 mirror the same rights medical marijuana patients have been fighting for since 2016. For example, Issue 2 allows for home grow, which has long been the want of the people who would like to have more control over their medicine. But because of how the government works, this law is not set in stone. The Ohio legislature has until December 7, 2023, to make any changes to the law that they see fit. There is a chance that the current general assembly will make drastic changes to the law, turning it into something Ohioans would not have voted for.

It is a critical time for Ohioans to remain politically active to protect their democratic right to vote and make sure the Ohio Congress represents the will of the people.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to persuade your legislators is to contact them and let them know how you feel. Without the citizens telling them how they feel about policies being made, the legislators only have their own opinions to draw conclusions from. The more people speak up and let them know that what was voted on shall remain in place. It is time to remind the legislators that they need to represent the will of the people, not serve their personal agenda.

Contact Your Legislators: Email, Letter, Phone Call, In-Person Meeting

There are a few options for reaching out to your legislators. You can choose to send an email, make a phone call, or send a formal letter. If you are very passionate, you may even decide to schedule a sit-down meeting with your legislator to express your point of view.

The good folks at Nar Reserve Columbus share this sentiment and have put together some resources to help everyone reach out to their legislators via mail or email. 

Here are the steps to finding your legislators and how to contact them:

1. You need to know what voting district you are in. You can look it up by your address using the following website:

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislators/district-maps

2. Go to your legislators’ home page to find their contact information. You may also look them up in the House or Senate directory. 

Find a complete list of Representatives HERE:

http://www.ohiohouse.gov/members/member-directory

Find a complete list of Senators HERE:

https://www.ohiosenate.gov/senators

3. To reach members of the Ohio House of Representatives via email, each House email address begins with “REP” (short for Representative) followed by the number of the House district that the member represents, and then @ohiohouse.gov.

Example: Rep92@ohiohouse.gov

To reach members of the Ohio Senate via email, member’s addresses begin with the senator’s last name followed by @ohiosenate.gov.

Example: Smith@ohiosenate.gov

4. You may also choose to call your legislator, set up a meeting with them, or send them a formal letter.

Below you’ll find an easy-to-use guide for identifying and contacting your legislators as well as a template letter. Click for a Google doc text version you can cut and paste.  

Questions?

Have questions about how to connect with your legislators or about the details of Issue 2 to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol? Reach out to us at medicateoh@gmail.com.

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