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Cannabis reform in modern America

By
Jim Ickes
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0

Prohibition to progress: The absurdity of U.S. cannabis policy

In one part of the country, cannabis entrepreneurs are cutting ribbons on new dispensaries, generating millions in tax revenue and employing thousands. In others, people are handcuffed and booked for carrying a few grams of the same plant.

In Washington, Congress debates cannabis reform endlessly. Meanwhile, Wall Street is already cashing in. The federal government profits off cannabis through unfair tax laws but refuses to legalize it.

This is the absurdity of America’s cannabis policy in 2025, where legal cannabis businesses fuel booming economies, yet people are still arrested every day for simple possession.

It’s time to move beyond this contradiction and establish a rational, national approach to cannabis regulation.

The economic boom: Cannabis is fueling growth

Cannabis is no longer an underground market—it’s a major economic force (See graphic 1):

States that have legalized cannabis are thriving. Colorado, Illinois and California have all surpassed $1 billion in cannabis tax revenue and are funding schools, drug treatment programs and law enforcement.

Meanwhile, the federal government continues to block the industry from fully participating in the economy, denying businesses access to banking, capital and fair tax treatment, all while collecting more taxes from cannabis businesses than any other industry because of 280E.

There’s a deep and troubling hypocrisy at the heart of federal cannabis policy: While the government classifies cannabis as a Schedule I drug—on par with heroin—it is simultaneously profiting off its legal sale through a punitive tax code.

Under Section 280E of the federal tax code, cannabis businesses are prohibited from deducting ordinary business expenses, like rent, payroll and marketing. This results in effective tax rates of 40 to 80 percent, compared to the standard corporate rate of 21 percent.

A 2019 ITEP report estimated 280E adds an effective 6.25 percent federal tax burden to cannabis sales. Based on the size of the U.S. cannabis market—projected at over $45 billion annually—this translates to an estimated $5.5 billion in federal tax revenue from businesses that can’t even open a bank account.

Let’s be clear: these aren’t criminal cartels. These are licensed, tax-paying businesses that comply with state regulations. And yet, they’re being taxed like criminals while the federal government reaps the benefits.

Uncle Sam is America’s most profitable, protected and hypocritical drug dealer.

They want the money, not the policy: The Ohio case study

Even in states that have legalized cannabis, political hypocrisy continues to rear its head.

In Ohio, voters passed adult-use cannabis in November 2023 by a wide margin. However, Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration is actively pushing to double the marijuana sales tax from 10 to 20 percent, despite the fact that voters approved this figure. The proposal, included in the governor’s budget, would dramatically increase the financial burden on Ohio’s cannabis consumers and businesses to fund law enforcement priorities, without expanding access or reducing regulatory friction.

At the same time, Ohio regulators continue to delay the rollout of cannabis pre-rolls, one of the most in-demand and profitable product categories in every adult-use market. These delays are not based on public health concerns or product safety—they are political decisions that undermine the market voters approved.

Ohio isn’t alone. Across the country, lawmakers and regulators are working to increase taxes, restrict access and delay implementation, while still collecting cannabis tax revenue.

This isn’t regulation. It’s exploitation.

If the federal government uses 280E to tax cannabis like contraband, and states overtax and underdeliver on access, then what exactly is being legalized?

Profits for the government. Headaches for businesses. Confusion for consumers.

Big Alcohol and Big Tobacco have already bet on cannabis

The same industries that fought cannabis legalization for decades are now some of its biggest investors:

  • Constellation Brands (Corona, Modelo) invested $4 billion in Canopy Growth
  • Altria (Philip Morris USA) invested $1.8 billion in Cronos Group
  • British American Tobacco owns a major stake in Organigram
  • Anheuser-Busch InBev partnered with Tilray to develop cannabis-infused beverages

The private sector sees the writing on the wall. So do the states. But Congress continues to ignore it.

The next generation of consumers has already chosen cannabis over alcohol and tobacco. Consider that Gen Z drinks 20 percent less than Millennials and prefers cannabis for socializing; tobacco use has plummeted, while cannabis use has increased; and cannabis is seen as a healthier, more conscious alternative to alcohol.

While younger generations normalize cannabis, the federal government still treats it like contraband.

Despite cannabis legalization spreading across the country, over 200,000 people were arrested for marijuana offenses in 2023. An astounding 92 percent of those arrests were for simple possession, with communities of color continuing to be disproportionately impacted. And people still lose jobs, housing and opportunity over a substance now legal in nearly half the country.

You cannot regulate, tax and profit off cannabis while continuing to criminalize it. That is not justice. That is hypocrisy.

The majority of the United States has embraced cannabis reform (See graphic 2):

Graphic 2

The states have spoken. The voters have spoken. The markets have spoken.

Why hasn’t Congress?

It’s time for Congress and state legislators to stop posturing and start governing. A modern cannabis policy must include:

  • Federal rescheduling of cannabis
  • Potency-based regulation (not the outdated “hemp vs. marijuana” THC threshold)
  • Repeal of Section 280E to allow standard business deductions
  • Passage of the SAFE Banking Act to allow access to financial services
  • Harmonization of federal and state law
  • Expungement of nonviolent cannabis convictions

Congress has stalled long enough. Every day of inaction keeps businesses shut out of financial systems, people behind bars for outdated charges, and a thriving market stuck in legal limbo.

Cannabis legalization is no longer a question of if—it’s a test of whether lawmakers have the courage to catch up with reality.

The time for debate is over. The time for action is now. Let’s move cannabis from contradiction to clarity and from prohibition to progress.

RELATED CONTENT: State House advances SB 86

Ohio Senate Bill 86 advances

By
Signal Statewide
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(Courtesy Photo/Ohio State House)
This story was originally published by Signal Statewide. Sign up for free newsletters at SignalOhio.org/StateSignals. Statewide is a media partner of the Toledo Free Press.

By Andrew Tobias | Signal Statewide

The Ohio General Assembly reconvened on Wednesday after taking a couple weeks off for an Easter break. Senate Bill 86 is one noteworthy bill that advanced.

The Ohio Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 86, which restricts the sale of hemp-derived THC products known as Delta-8 (I think of them as “Diet Weed.”) These products emerged via a loophole in the 2018 federal farm bill, which was meant to legalize industrial hemp production.

The bill says “intoxicating hemp” products must be sold in state-licensed marijuana dispensaries, although the legislation makes an exception for “drinkable cannabinoid products,” AKA THC beverages. Businesses with retail liquor licenses (bars, grocery stores, carryout stores) would be allowed to sell them to people 21 and up. It also sets quality and testing standards the products must meet. 

The bill now heads to the House, which is considering its own proposal to regulate intoxicating hemp. The House version, unlike the Senate version, doesn’t contain language allowing THC beverages to be sold outside of dispensaries. (Legislative leaders said Wednesday that how the state deals with THC products could get pulled into the budget bill.)

Gov. Mike DeWine has been calling on the legislature to ban Delta-8 for over a year, calling the products a risk to children. But it looks more like lawmakers will regulate it in a manner similar to recreational marijuana or even alcohol. 

The bill’s supporters said Wednesday it will keep THC products out of the hands of kids but still keep the drinks easily available for adults 21 and up.

“I’ve never tried them, but everybody tells me they’re the hip new thing,” said State Sen. Bill Demora, a Columbus Democrat.

Signal Statewide is a nonprofit news organization covering government, education, health, economy and public safety.
RELATED CONTENT: Cannabis reform in modern America

Jerry King: Tech Reaper

By
Jerry King
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Op-ed: Vote yes on Issue 8 for Toledo Metroparks

By
Joan Browne Kose
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Adult coots gather on top of a muskrat cabin at Howard Marsh Metropark. (TFP Photo/Art Weber)

Issue 8 won’t raise our tax rate, but it will keep one of the most important institutions in Northwest Ohio, our metroparks system, operating for another 10 years. That’s why I am supporting the Toledo Metroparks’ request for a 1.4-mill, 10-year replacement levy on the May 6 ballot.

A great egret at Side Cut Metropark. (Courtesy Photo/Art Weber)

The 1.4-mill levy was first approved by voters in 2007 and renewed with overwhelming support in 2017. Throughout those 18 years, Metroparks has collected the tax based on 2007 property values. The replacement levy would be on today’s values, amounting to an increase of $1.60 per month for the owner of a $100,000 home.

One of the reasons I support Issue 8 is that Metroparks has lived within its means despite rising costs and skyrocketing demand from visitors over the last two decades. They have achieved this by bringing home federal grants that would have otherwise gone to other communities to fund their parks and trails.

Since the levy was renewed in 2017, the park system has delivered on its promise to place a clean, safe, natural metropark within five miles of every home in Lucas County. The community has responded, with park visitation increasing a whopping 62 percent in just the last seven years.

Metroparks Toledo is so highly regarded nationally that in 2020 it was named the No. 1 large park system in America by park and recreation trade associations.

We are fortunate to have 19 Metroparks open every day of the year – 7 a.m. until dark – without an admission free. Regional parks provide healthy places to gather and recreate. They beautify our community, enhance our property values and attract tourists who contribute millions of dollars to our local economy.

Quality of life attributes such as parks are not only nice to have, but a must-have today to attract and retain talented young people that local businesses need. That is why the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce is among more than two dozen organizations that have endorsed Issue 8.

The first wave of chorus frogs has emerged and are singing for mates in our vernal pools. A wonderful place to hear them is along the Wabash-Cannonball Trail. (Courtesy Photo/Art Weber)

Even if you never step foot in one of the parks, they are working for you every day, helping to keep our air and water clean, retaining storm water and providing wildlife habitat.

Since Lucas became a county in 1835, we have lost nearly 90 percent of our original woodlands and wetlands. Metroparks preserves just 5.5 percent of the land in the county, protecting the best of what little remains of our natural history for this and future generations.

Think of a Metropark as a park within a preserve. Eighty percent of Metroparks land is maintained as natural areas. Within the 20 percent devoted to parkland, the Metroparks staff has done a masterful job of developing innovative programs and facilities that provide free or low-cost entertainment for families year-round.

More than 100,000 people a year participate in nature walks, summer camps, outdoor skills classes, such as tree climbing and kayaking and special events.

I hope you will join me in supporting Issue 8 because Metroparks support our community in so many ways, every day.

The Maumee River channel above Farnsworth Metropark at Weir Rapids in Waterville. (Courtesy Photo/Art Weber)

Don Lee: Togetherness

By
Don Lee
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0

Maumee Valley Country Day School hosts TEDx

By
Mary Helen Delisle
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Celloist Julian Beatty-Duarte, a sophomore at Maumee Valley Country High School, plays Bach Cello Suite No.1 between speakers. (TFP Photo/Mary Helen DeLisle)

TOLEDO – In an auditorium filled with proud parents, students, teachers and community members, 10 high school students captivated their audience with eloquent prose and sound.

Maumee Valley Country Day School (MVCDS) hosted a TEDx event with speakers and musicians from different high schools across Ohio, including MVCDS, Perrysburg, Anthony Wayne, St. John’s Jesuit on Friday, April 25.

The students presented topics ranging from raising awareness for social issues to self-improvement tips.

“TEDx is a great opportunity for local people to speak their mind about different topics and social issues,” said speaker Alex Ban, a sophomore at Perrysburg High School. “This was a really great opportunity for me to speak in front of a public audience and make my mark.”

Alex Ban talks about the Troubles of the Troubled Teen Industry. (TFP Photo/Mary Helen DeLisle)

Ban’s topic was about how the troubled teen industry institutionalizes child abuse.

“Last summer, I was browsing the news and I saw these two little kids getting abused at this camp center, which struck a heartstring for me,” Ban said. “There are over 200,000 kids in these facilities, so I really wanted to speak out and seek justice for them.”

Between speakers, audience members were lulled with “Bach Cello Suite No.1” from celloist Julian Beatty-Duarte and “Mia and Sebastian’s Theme” from pianist Oliver Kiehl, both MVCDS students.

This is the third consecutive year MVCDS has hosted TEDx. While the program originally began in 2016, it stopped due to the COVID pandemic.

Layan Ridid, left, and Daivik Patel introduce the TEDx speakers for the evening. (TFP Photo/Mary Helen DeLisle)

“Layan brought the idea to me of bringing this chapter to our community. And we both fell in love with it really quick and decided to bring it back,” said senior TEDx Maumee ValleyCountry Day School co-president Daivik Patel.

Junior co-president Layan Ridi said she and Patel have gone to school together since seventh grade.

“Public speaking has always been a passion of ours. I remember doing presentations with Daivik since we were little, and having that opportunity to give other students their voice was really important to both of us,” Ridi said.

Students’ topics were evaluated, and the best ones proceeded to the interview process.  

“We had applications from 20 to 30 local high schoolers,” noted Ridi.

Chosen speakers are assigned a liaison to assist them with practicing, perfecting and memorizing their speeches.

The 15 liaisons at this year’s event also assisted with various activity tables during the multiple intermissions between speakers, and set up the free Chipotle dinner provided to attendees.

MVCDS pays for the event through business donations, with S&G Stores being this year’s sponsor.

“There’s a lot of valuable high school students in our community, and we wanted to allow them to bring their voice and their ideas to the stage,” Patel said.

“One of the biggest passions of my life has always been community. And this event is really centered around community and how can we engage with one another and discuss these diverse topics that our speakers are bringing to the table.”

Speakers:

Marah Ariss, Perrysburg High School, 11th grade: “Special Needs Awareness”

Alex Ban, Perrysburg High School, 10th grade: “The Troubled Teen Industry”

Andy Caillaux, Maumee Valley Country Day School, 11th grade: “Lifting More than Weights”

Adhya Duggal, William Mason High School, 11th grade: “Octopus: What We Can Learn from the Deep Sea Creature”

Arsalan Faisal, St. John’s Jesuit, 11th grade: “How Stories Shape our Perception of Morality”

David Liu, Sylvania Southview, 12th grade: “Seven Deadly Frames”

Baraah Mansour, Maumee High School, 12th grade: “Surviving Life; Independence vs. Self-Reliance”

Medha Ramaswamy, Sylvania Southview, 11th grade: “A Pawn’s Journey”

Mallory Rettig, Anthony Wayne High School, 12th grade: “More Than a Name”      

Urvi Viamajala, Sylvania Southview, 11th grade: “Turning Failure into Success”

Photos by Mary Helen DeLisle

Photos by Mary Helen DeLisle

Pianist Oliver Kiehl plays Mia and Sebastian’s Theme from the movie La La Land.

TEDx speaker Mallory Rettig talks about the importance of names to a person’s identity.

Morgan Rowe, left, and liaison Reihana Djema work at the sign-in table and hand out programs.

Defying Odds Therapy Playspace opens

By
Andrew Helkowski
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0
Steve Broderick helps his daughter, Isla, navigate the gross motor gym at the DOT Playspace. (Courtesy Photo)

Occupational therapist offers calming space for kids to play

TOLEDO – The average play space can be overwhelming and loud for children with sensory sensitivities. But there is an alternative place where these kids can play. With the opening of Defying Odds Therapy Playspace (DOT), kids of all abilities can play and even receive therapy.

The gym features an interactive piano wall. Children can press to activate the keys to make music, or it can be set to make animal sounds and car/truck sounds. (Courtesy Photo)
Headphones are available for those with sound sensibilities. (Courtesy Photo)

The DOT, located at 6544 W. Central Ave., was founded by pediatric occupational therapist Erica Zimmerman, whose expansion of the existing office and has been in the works for about two years. DOT Playspace combines play, therapy and learning all in one place. 

Zimmerman added that much of her inspiration for starting the project was her son. “I wanted a place where I could bring my son to work and he could play,” she said.

Nicole Whitaker brings her two-and-a-half-year-old son, Ellis, to the DOT Playspace. She said that Ellis is one of three boys, and he can be shy, so the play area is a great place for him to spread his wings without the chaos of some other area playspaces for kids his age.

“He also is doing speech therapy, so with Erica’s background in occupational therapy, I knew that she would probably have a lot of really great sensory things,” Whitaker said.

“It’s not just a play space with a bunch of toys. It’s actually thoughtfully planned for kids’ sensory output and input, and to really spark them into not just playing, but learning, as well. That’s why I go there.”

Though the space offers equipment that is ideal for children under five years of age, Whitaker takes all three of her kids, who range from two to nine.

“I think she’s [Zimmerman’s] going to have even more for the bigger kids coming soon. She doesn’t even have all of the play structures delivered yet, so there’ll be even more. But I think it’s good for for all kids, honestly.”

Nicole Whitaker

The indoor space offers a wide variety of things to do, like climbing structures, slides, swings and sensory friendly rooms. During the design process, a couple of people with autism were brought in to give their opinion on the play structures. The design of DOT’s interior is meant to be calming, with soft pastel decor and white walls, while other play spaces have really bright colors, which can be overstimulating.

“I’ve worked with a lot of families who had children with developmental disabilities,” Zimmerman said. “There aren’t many places to bring them.”

DOT is inclusive for all children, not just limited to children with developmental disabilities.

“We really weren’t taking her places [before taking her to the Playspace] because places didn’t feel like they would be conducive to her,” said Broderick. “She can get really overwhelmed by a lot of loud noise, and just doesn’t have the stamina to play all the time, especially with other kids there; it’s a lot of gross motor work. She goes through fatigue and it tires her out.”

Steve and Devon Broderick hold their daughter, Isla, at the DOT Playspace.
Isla Broderick plays at the DOT Playspace.

Devon Broderick brings her 18-month old daughter Isla to the DOT. Isla has single-sided deafness, making the calming aspect of the facility especially appealing to the Broderick family.

Broderick notes that the Playspace is ideal for letting small children explore and play while parents relax. And when children do get overstimulated, there is a sensory room with a bubble wall and dim lighting they can use as a reset. Without this kind of setup, Broderick would often feel compelled to go home when Isla became overwhelmed during play. The DOT Playspace makes it possible for kids to spend more time playing after they calm down.

The space is broken up into three separate rooms with different purposes:

  • The sensory room is quiet and calm, a great place for children to unwind and relax.
  • The motor gym is more high energy, hosting play structures.
  • The creative cafe is a place where children and their parents can eat together. There are also art stations set up to encourage creativity.
For information about what DOT has to offer, visit their website and Facebook page.

Steven J Athanas: Adder Snake

By
Steven J Athanas
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0

Anne Grady Services raises awareness

By
Hannah Sellers
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Julia Hage, director of mission advancement at Anne Grady Services, speaks to attendees at the Coffee for a Cause event.

Coffee for a Cause highlights need for volunteers, donations

PERRYSBURG – Every year, Anne Grady Services hosts Coffee for a Cause, an event that raises awareness and fosters inclusion for children and adults with intellectual disabilities in the community.

Attendees at the Ann Grady Coffee for a Cause event. (TFP photo/Hannah Sellers)
Julia Hage. (TFP photo/Hannah Sellers)

During the Coffee for a Cause event, it was announced that Noah’s House would reopen after a long respite.

“Ever since we had to pause this service during Covid, I have received endless calls from families in need of respite care,” said Julia Hage, director of mission advancement.

Not only is respite care on the horizon, but already individuals with intellectual disabilities have been taking advantage of the new therapy pool at Anne Grady Services.

At the event, a video played on screen showing the large, bright smiles on the faces of individuals splashing in the water and feeling freedom. Wheelchair users and others with physical disabilities are weightless in the water, a relief from pain that creates greater mobility.

Jim Weisz, who attended the event, said “hearing the impact the Anne Grady staff has on the lives of residents is inspiring and uplifting, especially given the current climate we live in. There is good in this world, and it’s right in our backyard.”

With the re-opening of the respite care, Anne Grady Services is doubling their efforts on fundraising for the Noah’s House Scholarship Fund, which assists families who cannot afford $300 per day for respite care services. Not only is respite care vital for caretakers, but it is very important for those with disabilities, as well.

Julia Hage, left, listens to Doug Homer, chief financial officer at Designetics, Inc., during the event. (TFP photo/Hannah Sellers)

Receiving outside care opens the doors to new opportunities, like outings into the community, interest based programs, relationship building, and high quality medical care.

To donate to the Noah’s House Scholarship fund, visit the Anne Grady Services’ website.

Jerry King: Artsy Fartsy TV

By
Jerry King
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