The village of Woodmere is calling on the Ohio General Assembly to fulfill its promise to municipalities that host adult-use cannabis dispensaries by releasing the funds collected through the state's cannabis excise tax.
On Wednesday (June 11), Village Council passed a resolution -- strongly supported by Mayor Ben Holbert -- urging lawmakers to appropriate and distribute the Host Community Cannabis Fund as originally intended. Despite Ohio generating more than $20 million since the passage of Issue 2, none of the revenue has reached local governments, according to a news release from the village.
Issue 2 legalized recreational marijuana statewide in November 2023. The initiated statute took effect Dec. 7, 2023.
"When Ohio voters approved Issue 2, the deal was clear: If communities agreed to host dispensaries, they would share in the economic benefits," Holbert said in the news release.
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