Members of the Ohio senate voted 24 to 5 to advance a measure, Senate Bill 3, expanding the state’s long-standing decriminalization policies. The bill now heads to the House for further consideration.
The proposed measure doubles the quantity of cannabis that may be possessed without the threat of jail time from 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) to 200 grams. Those found in possession of 200 grams or less would be subject to a $150 fine — no arrest, jail, or criminal record.
It also decriminalizes the possession of up to 10 grams of hashish.
Ohio law currently decriminalizes activities involving the personal possession of up to 100 grams of cannabis and/or five grams of hashish. The 100 gram threshold is the highest of any decriminalization state. Those in possession of between 100 to 200 grams of flower or between five and ten grams of hashish face the threat of up to 30 days incarceration.
Separate provisions in the bill also downgrade other drug-related penalties, and explicitly state that citations for minor possession violations do not trigger any sort of public record.
