Legalizing marijuana Several proposals are in the works to legalize marijuana in Ohio. Check here for an update on the status of those efforts.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two groups vying to legalize marijuana will not make the ballot in November, group leaders said, clearing the field for one marijuana ballot issue this year.

Better for Ohio and Ohio Rights Group will not have the more than 305,591 signatures of Ohio voters required by July 1 to qualify for the November ballot, group leaders said. Both groups plan to continue collecting signatures for 2016.

The ResponsibleOhio marijuana legalization initiative has caused quite a bit of controversy in marijuana politics. At first, the ResponsibleOhio initiative provided for just 10 marijuana cultivation sites. After some outcry by many people in the marijuana reform movement, ResponsibleOhio added a provision for home cultivation. But the rules surrounding home cultivation are unclear. I heard someone from the ResponsibleOhio campaign state that the home cultivation provision was copied from Oregon. But that’s clearly not the case because Oregon will not require a license to cultivate up to four plants. How hard will it be to get a home cultivation license? How much will it cost? What will the rules be?

COLUMBUS -- Ohio lawmakers are beginning to hear some of the objections raised against plans to legalize marijuana, and it might not be for the reason you think.

According to a report by the Columbus Dispatch, bipartisan support is building to suppress any legislation that could use constitutional amendments to create monopolies.

As currently written, the leading pro-pot proposal -- submitted by ResponsibleOhio -- would change the Ohio Constitution to allow 10 investment groups the exclusive right to grow and sell marijuana wholesale.

As a recent high school graduate, I have seen the short- and long-term effects of marijuana from all aspects of my life. I believe that the opinions and viewpoints of our younger generation are vital when it comes to the decision to legalize marijuana.

Even though this drug has positive medical uses and effects, it is still a mind-altering drug that needs to be legally regulated and used responsibly when utilized for recreational purposes. 

Even if we were inclined to support the legalization of marijuana in Ohio – we aren’t – a companion initiative that would result in the expungement of criminal records stemming from marijuana convictions is a definite deal-breaker for us. We have long opposed the cleansing of court records because we strongly believe there must be consequences to breaking the law.

In the May Democratic primary for mayor of Struthers, The Vindicator chose not to make an endorsement because both the candidates, Danny Thomas Jr. and Ronald A. Carcelli, had their criminal histories wiped clean.

A recent review of medical literature, courtesy of the Headache Center at the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute in Cleveland, Ohio, has shown that cannabis has potential therapeutic effects for the treatment of headache disorders, including migraines.

But now more than ever, Ohioans are in favor of legalizing the drug.

ResponsibleOhio is pioneering that effort with an amendment.

Ohioans could vote on the measure as soon as this November.

And the group is taking it one step further, calling for all nonviolent marijuana convictions to be expunged.

COLUMBUS (Chris Vanocur) -- Too little too late. That's what ResponsibleOhio says about Mike DeWine's medical marijuana plan.

ResponsibleOhio is trying to put medical and recreational pot on the ballot this November Friday, its executive director, Ian James, watched the exclusive ABC 6/FOX28 interview with Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine.

While James applauded DeWine's possible support of medical marijuana, he also told us, "I think what the attorney general is doing is too little too late for sure. The voters are way ahead of politicians on this."

James watched the entire medical marijuana interview with the attorney general. He objected when DeWine talked about pot in pill form.

Legalizing marijuana Several proposals are in the works to legalize marijuana in Ohio. Check here for an update on the status of those efforts.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- ResponsibleOhio's plan to legalize marijuana through a limited number of commercial growers is being criticized by two staunch supporters of marijuana legalization -- the Green Party of Ohio and Libertarian Party of Ohio.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is studying the plausibility of a tightly crafted medical marijuana proposal.

DeWine says it's logical as the state debates whether to legalize marijuana to explore what the alternatives are.

DeWine, a Republican who opposes legalizing recreational marijuana, says he's talked to many people around Ohio in favor of medical marijuana if they could be assured it wouldn't be abused.

DeWine said it's worth studying what is happening in other states when it comes to medical marijuana. He stopped short of saying the goal would be to undercut the widespread legalization of the drug in Ohio or what form a proposal might take.