The Democratic mayor of Cincinnati hasn’t formally announced his candidacy in the primary for governor. But John Cranley is weighing in on the perennial issue of legalizing marijuana.
Cranley says he thinks marijuana should be de-criminalized and legal for purchase by Ohioans 21 years old and older.
“People are buying and selling marijuana in Ohio. They’re just keeping the money away from the government and without making sure it’s safe product. And so we can make sure it’s safe and not laced with other bad things through government oversight and regulations but also the revenues can be used to build the infrastructure of our state," Cranley says.
Cranley estimates it could bring in as much as a half billion dollars in tax revenue each year. Ohioans can get medical marijuana but many have claimed the process is tedious and expensive. Cranley says he expects to formally announce his bid for governor next month.