CINCINNATI — Two polarizing issues will be decided in Ohio this November. In less than three weeks, voters will decide whether or not abortion should be a constitutionally protected right and whether or not recreational marijuana will become legal.
While ads both for and against Issue 1's abortion amendment are all over television, there are few — perhaps zero — marijuana ads advocating for or against Issue 2 spotted in the Tri-State.
The group supporting Issue 2, the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, is not disclosing whether or not it's running television ads in the Cincinnati area or not. However, the coalition did say that it is running ads statewide. WCPO can confirm marijuana ads advocating for or against the measure are running on our air.
"We're not disclosing our exact strategy, our targeting metrics and necessarily where these ads are running," said Tom Haren, spokesman for Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. "We're up against a dark money group, we don't know who these folks are, but we know they're lying to Ohio voters, so we've got our ads running statewide."
WCPO research foundthe group behind supporting Issue 2 spent $4,429,018 in expenditures. However, it pales in comparison to groups spending money campaigning for and against Issue 1. In recent state filings, those who oppose Issue 1 spent more than $29 million compared to those who support Issue 1 at $17 million.
In one campaign ad to support Issue 2, the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol focuses on helping veterans as well as those battling cancer and PTSD get the relief they need.
"We gathered a half million signatures from Ohio voters, so we think Ohioans know what 'regulate marijuana like alcohol' means," said Haren. "We think they've seen how successful these programs have been first hand, if they've gone to Michigan, or Illinois or Colorado, or any number of these states. We're very encouraged, but again, we're not taking any vote for granted, we've got about three weeks to go, early voting is happening now, and so we're doing everything we can to get our message out to encourage folks to vote yes on Issue 2."
Travis Veser, general manager of the Cincinnati drive-thru medical marijuana clinic The Forest Dispensary, said letting people know that marijuana can be used as treatment is "priority one." He said the vote on Issue 2 is about access to treatment for those who need it.
"We have veterans, we have people who have cancer, we have people who deal with debilitating anxiety every single day, and them coming here and letting them know that this is a safe, comfortable place to get relief from those things that they don't always have control over. It's almost criminal to keep it away from people who need that kind of relief," Veser said.
WCPO reached out to the group Weed Free Kids, which opposes Issue 2. A spokesman declined an on-camera interview but sent information on what it stands for, which can see on its website.
In two different political ads opposing Issue 2, the group argues a potential recreational marijuana law in Ohio would be dangerous for kids saying, "Issue 2: terrible language, zero safeguards, dangerous for Ohio kids."
The group tells WCPO the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol sent them a cease and desist letter dated Oct. 5 to stop airing the ads for what it said was "multiple false or misleading statements about the proposed law."
Weed Free Kids says it applied for 501c3 status with the IRS, but the name doesn't show up on the IRS website. WCPO asked if it goes by a different name, but never got a response.
The group name does not show up on the Ohio Secretary of State's website for campaign contributions, nor does it show up on the Federal Election Commission website for campaign data.
Meanwhile, supporters like Veser said they want Ohioans to have options when it comes to pain management.
"I think opinions are changing and I think people need to change with them," Veser said. "If adults are able to choose for themselves that this either helps, I will try it, or I've tried it and it didn't help the way I wanted it to, or I tried it and and it was a miracle, you know, just try it once. Don't allow a 1930s movie like "Refer Madness' to control what you think about something that is improving the lives of millions of Americans."
Read more about Issues 1 and 2 here.
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