Pubdate: Sun, 27 Sep 2015
Source: Columbus Dispatch (OH)
Copyright: 2015 The Columbus Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.dispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/93
Author: Lucas Sullivan

CANDIDATES AGREE: NO TO LEGALIZATION

Columbus mayoral candidates Andrew J. Ginther and Zach Scott have
differed on nearly everything: tax abatements, fixing education and
body cameras for police.

But they do agree on one thing: Don't legalize marijuana.

Ginther said he opposes Issue 3, which would legalize marijuana via
the Ohio Constitution. Scott said that as a career-long
law-enforcement officer, he has "my own personal feelings," when asked
during recent interviews with The Dispatch's editorial board.

Those close to Scott, who is the sheriff of Franklin County, said he
opposes legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

But both Democrats also agree that voters should decide whether to
make pot legal.

"It's important - the medical use of marijuana - but I don't think it
should be in the constitution," Ginther said. "I don't think there
should be a monopoly for 10 very wealthy, wealthy investors."

Scott said the passion on both sides of the issue requires a vote of
the public.

"But I encourage everyone to do their due diligence and study what's
going on in Colorado," he said.

When Scott suggests that voters study Colorado, he is mostly talking
about increases in crime there since marijuana became legal.

Colorado officials have been reluctant to blame marijuana for an
overall crime rate that has risen 7 percent, according to statewide
news reports. There also has been a surge in public-intoxication cases.

Fire and emergency response crews are also reporting an uptick in
fires and explosions blamed on equipment used to produce marijuana
products.

In Washington state, however, crime rates have decreased between 7 and
10 percent depending on the type of crime.

The marijuana issue on the Nov. 3 ballot would make marijuana legal
for limited recreational use and allow only the owners of 10 specific
parcels of land to commercially grow and harvest marijuana. Those
parcels are in 10 Ohio counties, including Delaware and Franklin. The
measure would also allow people to grow up to four plants for personal
use.

Whichever candidate wins the Columbus mayor's office in November could
be tasked with regulating the growth, harvest and sale of the product
in the city if the constitutional amendment passes. The new mayor
would also have to address public safety concerns.

Colorado and Washington became the first states in the country where
voters approved making marijuana legal for recreational use. In each
state, consumers have to be 21, and residents can possess no more than
1 ounce of marijuana. It sells for $200 to $300 an ounce.

Denver and Seattle, two of the largest cities that regulate and
control marijuana, have separate zoning, operating and distribution
regulations for marijuana businesses that took more than a year to
enact.

Both cities treat marijuana like alcohol, requiring suppliers and
sellers to be licensed. And, as with alcohol, marijuana cannot be
consumed in public.

Both Seattle and Denver have enacted their own taxes and licensing and
registration fees.

Denver requires a $5,000 fee for first-time applicants for a marijuana
license plus an annual renewal fee of $5,000. Retail marijuana is
taxed at 25 percent plus a 2.9 percent sales tax in Colorado. Colorado
collected almost $70 million in marijuana taxes during its last fiscal
year and $42 million from alcohol taxes, according to its Department
of Revenue.

Seattle levies a tax on marijuana operations equal to $2,150 for every
$1 million in gross revenue. Seattle relegated many of the
marijuana-growing businesses to sites zoned for industrial use. That
kept the operations on the outskirts of the city.

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes said coming up with new rules and
proper regulations took more time than he expected. He said that even
though voters approved the measure in 2012, the first retail marijuana
store didn't open until July 2014.

"Going for enforcement of law to regulating marijuana was quite an
undertaking," Holmes said. "It was a lot of work to get everyone on
the same page and the universe shifted a few degrees, I think, after
we finally got it done."

Seattle also recently imposed a $27 fine for smoking marijuana in
public. It's the same penalty for public consumption of alcohol.

The increased regulations and taxes led to a slow growth of the
marijuana industry across Washington. There were about 60 licensed
retailers statewide in the first year marijuana was legal. To date,
the state reports 164 licensed retailers.

Another hurdle in Seattle was that many banks refused to accept
deposits from marijuana retailers and producers because of federal
laws.

Columbus City Attorney Richard C. Pfeiffer Jr. said he hasn't studied
regulations the city might enact if Issue 3 passes.

"I oppose Issue 3, and I haven't really looked at what other cities
have done," Pfeiffer said.
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MAP posted-by: Matt