NEWS

‘Green Rush Tour’ promotes marijuana legalization

Kent Mallett
Reporter
  • The tour, in its second week, will reach all 88 counties, 20 college campuses, small and large cities.
  • ResponsibleOhio asked the Ohio Supreme Court for an order declaring the ballot language invalid.

NEWARK – ResponsibleOhio’s “Green Rush Tour” supporting marijuana legalization made a brief stop Thursday in Newark.

The last half of its hour-long visit to the Courthouse Square did not include any visitors to its green truck or with spokeswoman Hayley Phillippi.

“We did have some people come up earlier, and just driving through town we’re going to get attention,” Phillippi said. “Getting attention and getting our message out is the main goal.”

The stop in Newark followed one in Coshocton County and preceded one in Lancaster.

The tour, in its second week, will travel to all 88 counties, 20 college campuses, small towns and large cities. The green truck will be on the road four days a week, making three or four stops a day.

“We’ve had a lot of supporters come by excited about Issue 3 and want to know what they can do to get marijuana legalized in Ohio,” Phillippi said.

Meanwhile, ResponsibleOhio took its challenge of the Issue 3 ballot language to the Ohio Supreme Court on Thursday.

“The language and title assigned to Issue 3 is demonstrably false,” ResponsibleOhio legal counsel and former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Andy Douglas said.

“After receiving public comment, the Ballot Board and Secretary (of State John) Husted crafted the language and title with intent to mislead, deceive and defraud the voters,” Douglas said.

ResponsibleOhio is asking the Supreme Court for an order declaring the ballot language invalid and requiring the Ballot Board to adopt new ballot language.

Husted issued a statement in response explaining the ballot language containing the term “monopoly.”

“There is no better way to describe State Issue 3 than to say it is a monopoly that grants exclusive rights to a certain group of people, rights that would not be afforded to every other Ohioan,” Husted stated.

“The backers of State Issue 3 could have easily prevented Ohioans from calling their plan a marijuana monopoly by choosing to not write their plan as a marijuana monopoly.”

ResponsibleOhio states that legalization will provide 10,000 new jobs statewide, take the streets back from drug dealers and help local governments.

About 85 percent of the resulting tax revenue from the marijuana industry will go to county, municipal and township governments for police, fire and roads, including almost $7.5 million in Licking County, according to ResponsibleOhio.

kmallett@newarkadvocate.com

740-328-8545

Twitter: @kmallett1958