ResponsibleOhio (RO)-though imperfect-is the ONLY viable option currently available.
Why?
For one simple reason: because they have the money...to promote...to gather petition signatures.
Personally, I prefer the OTEP plan...but they have little or no money, and money-whether we like it or not-is the prime driver of politics and most everything else. We have watched all attempts which lack funding fail miserably.
It is far from certain that any other effort to make the ballet in 2015-16 will do so.
Without $$$ the difficulties are much magnified.
Does anyone really expect that those that put forward the necessary funding would do so for merely altruistic reasons rather than expect a return on their investment?
Here in Ohio it is apparent that a ballot initiative may be our only serious means to end prohibition.
Despite the fact that cannabis prohibition is clearly a violation of the Ohio Bill of Rights (Article I Section I) as well as the federal Bill of Rights (9th & 10th Amendments), the courts have abdicated their responsibility-otherwise cannabis prohibition would long ago have been ruled unconstitutional by both state and federal courts.
So, we cannot expect judicial relief.
The Ohio legislature, both House and Senate, has done exactly zip, but for a thinly veiled attempt to block RO with a legislative initiated ballet measure (HJR-4). While they trust the electorate to elect them to office, they do not want Ohioans to exercise their right to alter government: Article I Section 2 of Ohio Bill of Rights:
All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for their equal protection and benefit, and they have the right to alter, reform, or abolish the same, whenever they may deem it necessary; and no special privileges or immunities shall ever be granted, that may not be altered, revoked, or repealed by the General Assembly.
While Ohio's Representatives and Senators may wish that Article 1 Section 2 contained a clause subjecting the people's government altering power to limitations set by the...um...government...it contains no such provision.
The Ohio legislature wants to block RO, while allowing the status quo of jailing people for a plant, rather than make legislative proposals to RE-legalize cannabis, despite opinion polls showing a majority favoring RE-legalization of cannabis and a super-majority in favor of therapeutic cannabis use. The claim of opposition to a monopoly (mono means one and there would be ten separate corporations growing/wholesaling...not just one) in Ohio is disingenuous-witness the apparent approval of "monopoly" control of gambling casinos, as well as the privatized prisons-for-profit operating in Ohio.
So, we cannot expect common sense to impel legislative relief either.
And, let us not forget...the black market trade in illegal drugs-the plant cannabis is included-is already controlled by a monopoly... the nasty violent drug cartels.
Insisting on perfection is sort of a Rip Van Winkle approach...
I *know* what just one properly, lovingly cared for female cannabis plant is capable of producing. The RO plan allows adults to cultivate four flowering plants and unlimited non-flowering. This alone will have a sort of 'overgrow the government' effect.
The largest Ohio NORML chapter, Miami Valley NORML (MVNORML = Cincinnati & Dayton) has developed a consensus that *anything* that is a step away from prohibition is a step forward. MVNORML leadership and members were instrumental in convincing RO to add to their plan the option to home grow as well as a reduction in the taxes levied on cannabis in order to combat the cartel's black market.
It is both amazing and disappointing how humans are so susceptible to being divided and conquered...
A fractured cannabis community will only bear the fruit of continued cannabis prohibition.
ResponsibleOhio deserves the support of Ohio's cannabis enthusiasts in order to make a clear improvement over the status quo.
There will be plenty of time to make adjustments later.