Pubdate: Sat, 12 Dec 2015
Source: Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Copyright: 2015 The Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.morningjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3569
Authors: Julie Carr Smyth and John Seewer

OHIO POT LEGALIZATION GROUP SPENT $21M IN FAILED EFFORT

Supporters spent more than $21 million on a losing fall campaign to 
legalize marijuana in Ohio for personal and medical use, campaign 
finance reports filed Friday show.

Most of the nearly $12 million ResponsibleOhio raised from July to 
October came from 10 companies or organizations listed under 
corporate names, according to the figures reported to the Secretary 
of State's office. About 250 people gave individual contributions 
during the period. Their contributions of $2 to $200 totaled less than $8,000.

Filings showed Ohioans Against Marijuana Monopolies raised and spent 
about $2.1 million. Its opposition campaign against the legalization 
question centered on the proposal's creation of 10 exclusive 
marijuana growing sites.

Approval of Issue 3 would have made Ohio the first state nationally 
to take marijuana from illegal to fully legal in a single vote.

Backers of another November ballot issue - the successful push to 
create new rules for drawing state legislative districts - raised 
$280,000 from about two dozen groups and individuals, according to 
the reports. The bulk of that was spent on promotional mailings and 
polling on Issue 1, the reports said.

Most of the money backing that initiative came from just three groups 
- - the Ohio Consumer Lenders Association, the Ohio Education 
Association and the Wholesale Beer and Wine Association of Ohio.

Supporters of the new rules developed by Republican and Democratic 
lawmakers said allowing a new seven-member commission to draw the 
legislative lines will help reduce partisan gerrymandering.

Seewer reported from Toledo.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom