Taking Sides

The Williams County Board of Health votes to take an official stance of opposition on State Issue 2…the ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana in Ohio for adults over age 21. Health Commissioner Jim Watkins says the board should consider opposing the issue from a standpoint of trying to keep substances away from youth. The board voted unanimously in favor. This comes as the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners, representing 112 of Ohio’s health departments, also officially opposed the issue. The Ohio Children’s Hospital Association and the Ohio Adolescent Health Association have also opposed the measure. Still, according to a recent poll, an estimated 59% of Ohioans support legalizing recreational cannabis. Long-term data behind the effects of legalization is not yet comprehensive, either, considering many states have just recently made the change.