Policy experts watching Ohio recreational marijuana rollout

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – When recreational marijuana sales start in Ohio on Tuesday, they'll be brand new to the state, but area researchers have been studying the industry for several years.

"We do not advocate for marijuana legalization, we do not advocate for marijuana criminalization; we simply present what is happening in the states that have legalized," said Jana Hrdinova, administrative director for the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center at Ohio State University's Moritz College of Law.

The center has studied recreational marijuana rollouts and effects in other states. It'll also now be closely watching Ohio. The team hopes to help answer questions people and policy makers might have.

“Drawing on Ohio’s experience, drawing lessons on people, on states that have come before us, that's all part of what we want to do, so, for instance, how are police departments handling marijuana legalization, how does it impact their work, those types of questions will be of interest to us in the future," Hrdinova said.

The center also follows the money. Hrdinova said they have a pretty good idea on what states do with the tax revenue but are taking a closer look at local municipalities.

“In the state of Ohio, 36% of the 10% excise tax will be given back to the communities,” she said. “But we do not know what the communities plan to spend the money on. So that's really the research we are trying to do. We are trying to fill a gap in existing research.”

She urged those considering using recreational marijuana to pay close attention to rules and regulations. She stressed the importance of knowing an employer’s policy and landlord rules when it comes to marijuana.

"The one thing I would caution people is we call it the bumper sticker version of marijuana legalization where people say, ‘OK, marijuana is now legal and I can do whatever I want,” Hrdinova said. “There are definitely still some limits on what people are allowed to do and what they are not allowed to do. There’s a lot of things, a lot of nuance that I would encourage people to look into before starting consuming marijuana.”