MANSFIELD — Ohio voters in November made recreational cannabis legal in the Buckeye State.
But that same citizen initiative approved by 57 percent of voters also gave local governments the right to decide for themselves whether to permit marijuana dispensaries in their communities.
— Shelby City Council, Lexington Village Council and Madison Township trustees have already voted not to allow such businesses.
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— Ontario City Council has approved a six-month moratorium on dispensaries, buying time before making a decision.
— The Village of Bellville, after a public meeting on the topic that attracted 150 residents, may ask voters to decide.
Mansfield City Council is scheduled to take up the issue on Tuesday night. Mayor Jodie Perry is asking local lawmakers to follow Ontario’s lead and approve a six-month moratorium on marijuana dispensaries in the city.
During the same meeting, City Council is scheduled to vote on a local law change that would make possession of less than 200 grams (7 ounces) of marijuana a minor misdemeanor. It’s currently a first-degree misdemeanor.
The new law approved in November allows adults 21 and over to buy and possess up
