Voters Had Their Say –
Nov. 6, 2018 – Ohio prosecutors, judges, coroners and even Gov. John Kasich urged a “no” vote on the proposal, which would have reduced fourth- and fifth-degree drug possession charges to misdemeanors. Among the most compelling arguments: Ohio Supreme Court Justice Maureen O’Connor argued someone found with nearly 20 grams of fentanyl – enough of the dangerous opioid to kill 10,000 people – could no longer face prison time. Instead, they would face a misdemeanor and face a county jail sentence only after three offenses over two years. Issue 1’s proponents argued that anyone with that much of the dangerous drug could be easily charged with trafficking. Or lawmakers could tweak the definition of trafficking. But voters rejected the measure anyway.
