OHIO — New data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol paints a different picture about the impact of legalized recreational marijuana, compared to the fears that its opponents once had.

What You Need To Know

  • While the number of drug violations dropped 66%, the 2,700 drug violations last year was less than a quarter of the total in 2020
  • According to the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control, cannabis sales in Ohio reached about $350 million since Aug. 6, 2024
  • The director of a drug treatment center said he's been seeing people seek treatment for cannabis use disorder
  • People who seek help in Columbus for substance abuse can reach out to Mary Haven, and the City of Columbus offers more resources on its website, while CAP4Kids has prevention programs and resources by area

The numbers show a wide variety of marijuana-related crimes dropped in 2024 compared to the year before. The number of fatal crashes involving marijuana was down 30% from one year to the next.

While the number of drug violations dropped 66%, the 2,700 drug violations last year was less than a quarter of the total in 2020. But those numbers might not tell the whole story, as the battle to legalize recreational marijuana is over and a new battle is underway.

“Right now, it’s too early to tell what the longer-term impact is going to be,” Ryan Pickut, director of residential services for Mary Haven, said. “But we do see individuals consistently seeking treatment for cannabis use disorder which is the equivalent of marijuana.”

Pickut started in adolescent treatment 20 years ago and said there’s an unforeseen problem when it comes to marijuana.

“I was working with an adolescent who was addicted to fentanyl and heroin, and that’s what kind of led me into substance use treatment,” Pickut said. “We’ve always seen a link between youth using marijuana and that kind of being a gateway to other substances.”

People who seek help in Columbus for substance abuse can reach out to Mary Haven. Pickut said they can just walk in and get help and as a nonprofit they work with everyone’s finances.

For more resources, the City of Columbus offers several on its website, while CAP4Kids has prevention programs and resources by area.

While marijuana is legal, the law states 21 years and older for use.

“We know that the access is going to be increased to even those that are under the age of 21 and certainly that is a concern,” Pickut said.

According to the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control, cannabis sales in Ohio reached about $350 million since Aug. 6, 2024.

Judy Dollison is the president of the Better Business Bureau in central Ohio, and she said BBB holds their businesses accountable with a list of standards they have to follow in order to get accreditation to sell cannabis.

Dollison said from a business point of view the impact of legalizing marijuana is different.

“That obviously opens the door, you know, creation of new businesses as well as opportunities for the BBB for them to become accredited with us,” Dollison said. “A lot of work goes into their background and understanding what they are agreeing to with the BBB accreditation standards.”

Pickut said it’s too soon to have the whole picture and there’s a way to win this battle.

“So once we start seeing those trends then we can start making some decisions on you know, okay, maybe we need some more regulation here, maybe we need some safeguards here,” Pickut said. “I think that one of the things that we need more education to the public is the risk of youth using marijuana, right? We don’t want to normalize it such that our youth think that it’s safe to use for them as well cause there really is a significance in concern there.”

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