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Five months after Ohio voters approved the use of recreational marijuana the product is still unavailable — and Republican infighting may be the cause.

Issue 2 was passed by 57-43% and came into effect one month later. Adults 21 years and older can now smoke, vape or ingest marijuana. Individual Ohioans could also grow up to six plants but only 12 per household. Click here to learn more Learn more about the law.

You won’t be in trouble if you get high, but you will have a lot of problems if you try to buy it legally.

There are currently no authorized sellers. The Division of Cannabis Control won’t begin processing retailer applications until the end of June, so users will not be able to buy marijuana legally until late summer or early autumn. Learn how to get marijuana. Click here to learn more.

The state Senate approved a proposal to allow medical dispensaries sell recreationally immediately in December. It would, however, limit home-grown marijuana, reduce THC levels, and ban the vast bulk of vapes, among dozens of restrictions and changes from what the voters selected. Gov. Mike DeWine urged the House to pass it.

RELATED: Ohio Gov. DeWine again tries to get you marijuana ASAP but lawmakers are blocking it

The House refuses to touch it, claiming that the other chamber is going “against the will of the people.”

House Speaker Jason Stephens, R-Kitts Hill, explained to reporters on Tuesday that there is no consensus within the GOP on policy.

Stephens said that a consensus in the House on this issue is unlikely to occur. “I think that there has been a lot discussion and talk in the House — among the Republican caucus — and getting to the point where we have a unanimous agreement of saying, ‘this is what should be different from what the people passed’.”

He hopes that the cannabis division will have their draft rules ready “sooner rather than later.”

He is mainly concerned with tax revenue discussions. For example, if they are more local or state-focused. He and his team are in favor of getting marijuana on store shelves, but they say that the Senate’s version doesn’t treat Ohioans fairly.

“Representatives know that the people in Ohio voted, and this is what we’re doing to implement it,” said he. “There will always some tweaking of the rules surrounding recreational marijuana.”

RELATED: Ohio now allows recreational marijuana. Here are some dos and don’ts.

Stephens’ “following the people” approach contrasts starkly with that of rival Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, whose approach is more aligned with “we can repair it.”

Huffman told journalists in late March that “we kind of rushed around, as you may know, the first thirty days of December to put out what we believed was a product which addressed some of the urgent issues.”

In terms of social policy, Democrats tend to align themselves with each other — but each chamber supports its respective Republicans.

Allison Russo, the House Minority Leader (D-Upper Arlington), told reporters on Tuesday that the policy was moving forward – just through rulemaking.

“I believe that the window for reforming or changing what the voters approved in Issue 2 is closing,” Russo stated. “But it will continue to move forward in some way, regardless of whether this legislature acts or does not.”

Huffman does not believe that anything will happen legislatively at this point, noting that he hasn’t spoken to the Speaker — but has spoken with other members of House Leadership.

Foes

The 64-year old Huffman and the 53-year old Stephens have been bickering over nearly everything since last fall: marijuana, budget, education, but most importantly, speaking rights.

Huffman has finally made a long-anticipated announcement — he wants to run against Stephens in 2025. He told Statehouse reporter Morgan Trau that Stephens was not doing a great job in March and that Democrats had contacted him about a potential speaker run.

RELATED: Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman ‘talking’ with Democrats about the House Speakership

Huffman has completed his Senate term. He spent eight years in the Senate and four as President. He is running for a House Seat without opposition and is aiming to become the Speaker of the House, which becomes available every other year.

Huffman and Stephens were making polite jabs during press gaggles. But Huffman’s rhetoric was much more aggressive when she spoke to reporters. She showed a clear change from the usual passive aggression.

Huffman said, “I think it’s very difficult to lead or legislate when you were elected in such a way as he was.” “I think that if you are going to be elected in this manner, it is difficult to say “I am also the leader for the Republican caucus.”

This drama is based on January 2023, and how Stephens became the leader. The Republican caucus chose state rep. Derek Merrin, R-Monclova, as speaker months prior to the full House vote.

Twenty-two Republicans, also known “affectionately,” by the other faction, as the “Blue 22”, and 32 Democrats voted in favor of Stephens during the actual vote. The majority of Republicans voted Merrin. Stephens is still conservative but is more moderate than Merrin. He is also more moderate that Huffman.

Click here to learn more For a detailed play-by-play, and a history on Republican feuding.

Huffman claimed Stephens hadn’t held the same number of sessions as “traditionally”, insinuating, if not directly, that he wasn’t doing his work.

Stephens was not pleased with these remarks.

“This analysis is clearly motivated by other factors.” Under this leadership, the House passed a number policies that benefit people and were applauded nationally conservative organizations. We are looking forward to the Senate passing the bills so that the Governor may sign them into law,” Stephens said Trau on the same day.

Trau brought up Huffman when he spoke with Stephens for the first time after the election in April.

“How do you feel now that Senate president Matt Huffman has expressed his interest in running next year against you?” She asked.

“I find it fascinating that we still have nine more months to go… [General Assembly]. The House has worked really hard. “We have done many really good things,” he replied. “Frankly it would be better for the Senate President to focus on running the Senate rather than trying to run the House.”

Stephens’ allies aren’t mad at the shady remarks and the announcement that he would run for office — they’re mad about the money and the campaign.

Huffman has been in campaign talks since months, gaining support of a significant faction among House representatives as well as national and state groups that are looking to remove Stephens.

News 5 reported that candidates, some of whom now have won, said Huffman had helped them in their bid to knockout the incumbents from Stephens’ team.

Despite the heavy campaigning against incumbents, Stephens may have been able to save his job by preventing four of them from losing their seats. News 5 found that Stephens only had the budget to lose four seats.

RELATED: Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens, allies largely victorious in the primary election and likely to keep gavel

If all of the speaker’s loyalists remain loyal, the speaker will retain his gavel. News 5 has reported that many members of the General Assembly, who did not vote for Stephens initially, plan to vote for Stephens. Stephens’ allies have endorsed several members who won seats that were open. It is possible that they will also support Stephens.

Trau asked Stephens what he thought of the election results. He began by saying that the amount of money raised by outside groups to rally against incumbent Republicans was astounding. He said that he was not happy with mailers that contained factual errors, because it was unfair to voters.

He said: “I think that the people of those districts were able see through some of the silliness. But it was unfortunate that such a large amount of outside money could come into a House District.”

He said that this is one of the main reasons he supports removing the term limits.

“Is the state Rep. campaigning to represent this district or is there a set ideals that a group outside is more concerned about?” he questioned.

RELATED: Both the Ohio House and Senate leaders express interest in changing the term limits. Others are skeptical

Stephens has been attacked for her partnership with Democrats since the vote.

Huffman said that she would be speaking with Democrats, and that all 99 members in the House could vote for the speaker. “I will absolutely be – some of those people have contacted me as early as Wednesday morning.”

Russo was confused.

“That was definitely news to me,” she replied. “I think that any good faith, sincere negotiations about the future of this state and certainly here in House, start with the Democratic Leadership Team — and anything else that doesn’t begin with that is, frankly, just an attempt to get ahead.”

She and Senate Minority leader Nickie Antonio, (D-Lakewood), are both sick of the GOP’s infighting.

“I think that we are seeing politics in play, and I think that we are seeing the negative effects of a Republican Supermajority,” Russo stated. “There are just too many of them. They’re fighting amongst themselves.”

Russo argues that this is the result of gerrymandering.

“We have always said that without balance in the legislature and supermajorities the people of Ohio pay the price,” she added. “We don’t run a government which is responsive or productive.”

According to the nonpartisan Legislative Service Commission, lawmakers passed fewer bills in 2023 compared to previous decades. The reasons given by each side are different. Either it is because they are not “conservative” or external factors such as the 2024 primaries and major off-year elections.

RELATED: Ohio House lawmakers return to ban transgender health care and then leave

Gov. Mike DeWine told Trau, in a one on one interview, that it’s not always a bad thing if the lawmakers don’t approve bills.

Marijuana lovers are happy to smoke their favorite drug.

Broderick Randle, II of cannabis processing facility BeneLeaves, said that his business would benefit if recreational dispensaries were opened now. However he would prefer to wait for a better policy and not make money.

He said, “I believe it’s the rights of the people that they have voted for this.”

AJ Caraballo, owner of Amplify medical cannabis dispensary, feels the same.

“Waiting for months to ensure we have a sustainable programme, I think that is more important than rushing in and starting within 90 days,” he said.

Follow us on Twitter WEWS Morgan Trau, a reporter for the statehouse, on Twitter You can also find out more about the following: Facebook.

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