You may have heard that Ohio is one of the states to have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana. What exactly does this mean?
It does not mean that possession of marijuana for recreational use is legal in Ohio. Rather, it means that jail time is not on the table for certain marijuana offenses in the state.
For example, in Ohio, possessing less than 100 grams of marijuana is not a standard misdemeanor offense, but rather is a minor misdemeanor. While a minor misdemeanor does not carry jail time, this does not mean being accused of this level of marijuana possession has no potential consequences.
For one, there is a monetary penalty for minor misdemeanor marijuana possession. This penalty is a fine of up to $150. Also, a conviction on this level of marijuana possession could lead to a person facing the possibility of having their driver’s license suspended for a time.
What if a person is accused of possessing more than 100 grams of marijuana? As long as the amount is under 200 grams, they would likely still not be facing felony charges. However, this level of marijuana possession no longer falls under the minor misdemeanor category. So, jail time is back of the table for such possession.
As one can see, the decriminalization of certain marijuana possession in Ohio does not mean that a person has nothing to worry about if he or she is accused of possessing a small amount of marijuana in the state. So, getting solid defense guidance remains important for individuals facing such allegations.