Ohio votes to reject legal marijuana

by Tim Devaney - 11/03/15 9:39 PM ET

Ohio voters on Tuesday rejected a bid to legalize recreational and medical marijuana.

The Buckeye State was on the verge of becoming the fifth state to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 years of age and older, but voters turned down the controversial ballot initiative, according to the Associated Press.

{mosads}With 45 percent of precincts reporting, 65 percent of the vote was against legalization, with 35 percent in favor.

It is a significant defeat for the pro-marijuana movement, which was riding momentum from successful ballot initiatives in recent years in Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington, D.C.

Ohio is often seen as bellwether for the country on controversial issues, so the defeat here could indicate a long road ahead for supporters of legalized marijuana.

The language of the Ohio measure divided marijuana supporters. While the initiative would have allowed adults to smoke pot without legal repercussions, it also would have created a monopoly, critics say, by giving exclusive rights to participate in the industry to a handful of wealthy investors.

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