ResponsibleOhio rolls out ad campaign

The play callers at ResponsibleOhio are so confident of making the Nov. 3 ballot that they have rolled out the first television advertising and Internet videos about their proposal to legalize marijuana in the Buckeye State.

ResponsibleOhio launched its fall campaign Thursday night even though the Ohio secretary of state has not yet determined whether the Marijuana Legalization Amendment will qualify for voters’ consideration this year. The private investors’ group plans to spend as much as $20 million until Election Day to persuade voters.

The first 15-second TV ad ran five times Thursday night across Ohio on Fox, once during the 5 p.m. “kiddie-table” debate among seven lesser-known Republican candidates and again during the 9 p.m. event of 10 better-polling candidates.

In the ad, an African-American woman stands in front of a white background. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the ballot issue to legalize marijuana. And you’re probably wondering: Does this plan make sense? How will it make Ohio safer? And what does it mean for me?” The woman then directs the viewer to ResponsibleOhio’s website.

There, six videos explain the ResponsibleOhio plan and goes into detail about its potential effects on public safety and the economy. The videos run between 1:18 and 2:23 minutes. Each video concludes with a call to vote “yes” on the plan.

Midwest Communications Media made the ad and videos. Faith Oltman, spokeswoman for ResponsibleOhio, declined to say how much the ad and videos cost.

ResponsibleOhio’s proposal would legalize marijuana for anyone over 21 and create what sponsors say will be a billion-dollar industry by 2020. Individual growers could buy a $50 annual license to raise four flowering plants at home.

The plan would limit cultivation of the commercial crop to 10 farms around the state, three of which would be in Hamilton, Butler and Clermont counties. The investors have purchased the farms or hold an option to purchase.

But the plan is not yet on the ballot. The state’s 88 county boards of elections are still counting the signatures ResponsibleOhio turned in last week to close its petition drive. Friday, Joshua Eck, spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, said, “It is likely that we will know the result by the end of next week.”