By Troy Pierson / Broadcast version by Mary Schuermann reporting for
the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration.

As marijuana becomes more mainstream, some legislators want Ohio to join the growing list of states legalizing the drug for recreational use. House Bill 210, which would legalize recreational marijuana, is co-sponsored by Democratic state Representatives Sedrick Denson of Cincinnati and Terrence Upchurch of Cleveland. Their bill would also allow for the expungement of some convictions and for marijuana to be grown at home.

While the bill is unlikely to pass, Denson said, its presence promotes awareness and attracts media attention, so more people can be educated on this topic.

"We have to look at the progressive states that are seeing the benefits and are opening up a whole new industry for business opportunities, and it's working," Denson said. "The sky's not falling, and things are not falling apart in those states. We have got to be progressive and be out there -- I know it's a long haul, and it's an uphill conversation, but the reality is that my responsibility is to put this bill out there and force my colleagues to have that conversation."

With the explosion of new markets as more states legalize recreational marijuana, proponents of legalization believe Ohio will soon follow suit.

While the state legalized marijuana for medicinal use in 2016, high prices for products have resulted in medical card users traveling to such nearby states as Michigan to purchase products at lower prices. This hurts Ohio's medicinal marijuana industry, which has led some legislators and other advocates to encourage the legalization of recreational marijuana in this state.

There was an attempt in 2015 to legalize recreational marijuana in Ohio through a ballot initiative, but the measure failed, with nearly 64% of voters opposed and 36% approving.

If the initiative had passed, it would have monopolized the industry to benefit a small number of investors and companies. Afterward, the state passed the Ohio Initiated Monopolies Amendment, also known as Issue 2, which prevents any new monopolization attempt for future ballot initiatives.

Legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Ohio would lead to a significant expansion of economic growth, said Douglas Berman, the executive director of the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center at The Ohio State University. The emergence of new markets would also allow for an increase in the number of dispensaries in Ohio's major cities, which could strengthen local economies and create jobs. The increase of sales would allow for increased tax revenue for the state as well.

Republican politicians are the main hurdle preventing recreational marijuana legalization through the General Assembly, but this narrative is changing as more Republicans warm up to the idea. Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich approved the passing of medicinal marijuana legislation in Ohio; more recently, U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, sponsored a legalization bill in the U.S. House of Representatives in May that would take marijuana off the federal list of controlled substances.

Drug prevention groups, however, continue to advocate for keeping marijuana illegal, highlighting the negative aspects of the drug, such as increased car crashes and accidental ingestion by children. Fran Gerbig, executive director of the Prevention Action Alliance, said Ohioans need to understand the impacts of the recreational industry and how it can affect communities, as legal products offer a higher amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) -- the psychoactive element in marijuana -- than products contained when all marijuana was illegal.

"It's important to know that it's not that we are condemning the substance per se; we feel there's not been enough research and that we don't know the true impact of cannabis on the health and wellness of an individual," Gerbig said. "Cannabis currently has a higher THC content, and that is an unknown. It's being cultivated to provide a hallucinogenic effect, and it makes me fearful for the health and safety of individuals."

Recreational marijuana legalization in Ohio will happen at some point within this decade, said Cleveland cannabis lawyer Tom Haren. The question is whether the state will legalize it before the federal government takes the drug off the controlled substances list.

If marijuana is legalized in the state first, it would allow for Ohio-based businesses to be founded and existing businesses to grow without competition from companies outside the state. Once marijuana is legalized at the federal level, however, other companies from out of state can then sell their products in Ohio through interstate commerce.

Also, if the federal government legalizes marijuana before the state does, Ohio could face a number of regulatory problems.

"If marijuana is no longer a controlled substance, it means it is no longer illegal to possess, traffic or distribute and sell it," Haren said. "You still would have within the medical program a highly regulated system, but then you would have a separate unregulated and legal market where even children [for example] could go and buy marijuana. There would be no age requirement, no potency requirement, no testing requirement, no licensing requirement, no background check requirement, no setbacks for schools or churches, public playgrounds [and] libraries. Literally overnight, Ohio could be in a very difficult position if we are not proactive in anticipating the change that is going to come at the federal level."

Legalized marijuana would lead to a series of changes, Berman said, on how the substance is regulated by law enforcement.


This collaboration is produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.

Expanded treatment for opioid addiction is now available in New Mexico.

The state's Department of Health is offering medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder in four regions around the state.

Josh Swatek, harm reduction program manager for the New Mexico Department of Health, said medication to treat the addiction should help reduce opioid cravings.

"This is really designed to help reach some of the most rural communities, to really create a safety net," Swatek explained. "Folks have options for substance-use treatment in their local communities."

Swatek noted more than 2 million people in the U.S. have an opioid-use disorder. New Mexico previously offered outpatient disorder treatment in Las Cruces, Albuquerque and Roswell but has now expanded treatment to 30 public health offices. He pointed out in 2022, the state recorded slightly more than 700 deadly opioid overdoses.

Swatek emphasized his department is focused on harm reduction -- acknowledging people use drugs for a variety of reasons -- but can also live healthy, self-directed and purpose-filled lives by adopting specific strategies. He added research shows people are five times more likely to enter substance treatment programs and three-and-a-half times more likely to succeed if they have first participated in harm-reduction programs.

"We're working closely with the New Mexico department of corrections," Swatek stressed. "They're going to be required to offer substance-use treatment as well in their facilities, so that when folks are discharged there's a plan. No matter where they are in New Mexico, we can hopefully continue their treatment in a public health office, if need be."

Swatek acknowledged those struggling with addiction often are stigmatized by their community and harm-reduction programs can minimize risks until they're ready to take steps toward treatment or recovery. He observed some patients have told researchers telehealth has helped them have a greater sense of autonomy and control over their treatment.


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Often celebrated in popular culture, Wisconsin's relationship with alcohol continues to give way to troubling statistics that center around excessive drinking and there are calls to step up prevention efforts.

The Badger State still ranks high for beer production.

Maureen Busalacchi, director of the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project at the Medical College of Wisconsin, said consumption levels for all types of alcohol overshadow market gains. For example, all Wisconsin counties exceed the national average for excessive alcohol use. In 2022, the state recorded more than 3,300 alcohol-related deaths.

"This has been an ongoing problem in Wisconsin, in part, I think, how our regulatory system works, how our culture works," Busalacchi observed. "There's maybe not as much enforcement of policies as there are in other states."

She pointed out binge drinking is a major problem, and boosting age compliance checks at places that sell alcohol could help curb the activity among young adults. Busalacchi sees hope at the local level with stronger enforcement at community events, as police agencies take notice of the ripple effects of people being overserved or minors gaining access to these products.

However, she reported people who have developed a drinking problem often encounter waiting lists for treatment programs.

Faith Gladem, executive director of the Harbor Recovery Center, a nonprofit in central Wisconsin emphasizing family support in transitioning to recovery. She said they are able to meet demand through their services but referrals for more intensive help can be an issue.

"When someone needs treatment, we do not have enough treatment beds in Wisconsin," Gladem asserted. "We do not have enough detox facilities that detox with dignity."

Her team wants to help foster a mindset in Wisconsin where alcohol is put on the same level as other substance use disorders. The State Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse recommends more evidence-based education and Busalacchi added it is important to understand not just the short-term effects, such as traffic fatalities but the cumulative impact as well.

"The long-term impact of alcohol use can be cancer. It can also be high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, stroke," Busalacchi outlined. "And then there's the social and wellness issues; your family gets frustrated or you're losing work."


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More than 1,000 New Mexicans die from drug overdoses each year, and while there's been a slight drop in overdoses from opioids nationwide, it's mostly offset by those from cocaine and other stimulants.

James Besante, chief medical officer at the Santa Fe Recovery Center, said the opioid crisis is evolving - sometimes described as "waves." Now in its fourth wave, he said the nearly 4% decrease reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is good news, but doesn't reflect what he's seeing on the ground. He noted that it's common that multiple drugs are involved in overdose deaths.

"Increasingly we are seeing individuals overdose on substances other than opioids," he said, "where their substance has been adulterated with an opioid like fentanyl."

When the United States' opioid crisis was at its peak, New Mexico was sixth among the 50 states for overdoses - about 50 individuals per 100,000 people. If preliminary CDC data showing opioid deaths decreased in 2023 is confirmed, it would be the first annual decrease in drug-overdose deaths since 2018. Besante said any success is good news and offers hope to suffering individuals and families.

About 30% of New Mexico residents live in rural counties, which Besante said are medically underserved - with fewer treatment centers and providers prescribing life-saving medications.

"While in some areas of the country we've seen an explosion of tele-medicine, tele-addiction treatment - that has not found its way into very rural communities," he said, "and oftentimes the local pharmacy is not stocking the medications that are prescribed."

In 2021, almost 107,000 drug-overdose fatalities occurred in the United States. West Virginia was the hardest-hit state, approaching twice the number in New Mexico. Besante saif approximately 25% of clients at the Sante Fe treatment center are unhoused and don't have health insurance.