MANSFIELD — Ohio voters approved recreational cannabis in November when 57 percent voted in favor of State Issue 2.
But Lexington resident Ben Mutti said Tuesday he is still trying to educate people about the “dangers” of marijuana, especially when it’s used by young people.
Mutti, joined by Rev. El Akuchie, who represents the 3rd Ward on Mansfield City Council, received a proclamation from the Richland County Board of Commissioners marking April as “National Cannabis Awareness Month.”
“It’s my personal opinion that the commercial cannabis industry is part of a criminal operation,” Mutti said.
Issue 2, a citizen petition, allows local governments to decide for themselves whether to permit marijuana dispensaries in their communities. It does allow adults 21 and over to buy and possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis and to also grow plants at home.
Since the passage of Issue 2, Mutti has made the rounds to city and village council meetings, as well as township trustees, to urge local governments to oppose cannabis dispensaries in their communities.
“That’s the only tool we see right now presently for local folks to make their decision on,” Mutti said.
(Below is a PDF with the National Cannabis Awareness Month proclamation issued by Richland County commissioners on Tuesday.)
Mutti and others have experienced some successes, thus far.
— Shelby City Council, Lexington Village Council and Madison Township trustees have already voted not to allow such businesses.
— Ontario City Council has approved a six-month moratorium on dispensaries, buying time before making a decision. Mansfield City Council has scheduled a vote in June on a six-month moratorium.
— The Village of Bellville, after a public meeting on the topic that attracted 150 residents, may ask voters to decide the issue there.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control website, “National Cannabis Awareness Month is observed in April to increase awareness and education about marijuana. While scientists are still learning about the risks and benefits of using marijuana, we know that marijuana use can harm a teen’s health and wellbeing.”
According to the CDC website:
— In 2022, 30.7% of 12th graders reported using marijuana in the past year, and 6.3% reported using marijuana daily in the past 30 days.
— Compared to teens who do not use marijuana, teens who use marijuana may be less likely to graduate from high school or college.
— Research shows that marijuana use during teen years can harm the brain.
In addition to concerns about increasing the availability of marijuana to young people, Mutti said prospective employers will shy away from locating in a community with dispensaries due to increased worker absenteeism.
“No manufacturer, no employer, is not going to want to a community that has lots of dispensaries because the workforce is going to either not show up or they’re (more likely) for accident issues,” Mutti said.
Commissioner Darrell Banks praised the work of Mutti and others.
“We’d like to present this proclamation and encourage you to keep up your work in fighting to keep us cannabis-free,” Banks said.
According to the CDC website, marijuana use has been linked to depression and social anxiety in adults.
“People that use marijuana are more likely to develop temporary psychosis (hallucinations, not knowing what is real, and paranoia) and long-lasting mental disorders, including schizophrenia,” the CDC said.
“Schizophrenia is a type of mental illness where people might see or hear things that aren’t there. The association between marijuana and schizophrenia is stronger in people who start using marijuana frequently at an early age,” the CDC said.
