Ohioans remain divided on Issue 1, which will reduce penalties for crimes of obtaining, possessing and using illegal drugs. The issue will appear on the ballot in the midterm elections on Nov. 6.
The proposed Ohio constitutional amendment is aimed at addressing Ohio's incarceration rates. Rather than targeting users, the proposed amendment will focus on penalties against more severe offenses.
Ohio spends more than $1.3 billion per year on prison systems. Supporters argue that Issue 1 would re-direct millions of taxpayer dollars toward rehabilitation and addiction treatment centers.
Senior psychology major and Office of Social Justice and Activism Ambassador Corinne Saul helped gather signatures this summer to put Issue 1 on the ballot.
“I don’t really think it’s very effective for people who are using drugs to just put them in jail and expect that that’s going to make it better for them," said Saul. “I think putting our time and resources into rehabilitation programs is a lot more successful for those people.”
Associate Professor Heidi Ballard also supports Issue 1.
Ballard said Ohioans should consider the cost of incarcerating so many people.
“The draining of resources out of our communities and the impoverishment of massive segments of society has a multitude of implications for the well-being of our whole society,” said Ballard. “We have to think in big dollar terms about the cost of incarceration.”
Also supporting the proposed amendment is Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Cordray, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Ohio Education Association.
However, Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike DeWine opposes Issue 1, along with the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, and the Ohio Judicial Conference.
They argue that, if passed, Ohio would have some of the most lenient drug laws in the nation, which would welcome further drug use and distribution.
Opponents say permitting the possession of some drugs such as fentanyl, which can be extremely dangerous even in trace amounts, is also a concern. Opponents also question whether the Issue will actually save money.
