Marijuana legalization group raises $1.3M

HURON — A Huron medical marijuana company has donated $160,000 to a campaign to legalize recreational marijuana use in Ohio. A Sandusky County company that grows and processes medical marijuana donated $105,000. The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, in a campaign finance filing at the Ohio Secretary of State's office, reported receiving about $1.3 million in donations in its annual report, filed last month. The contributions include $160,000 from the Firelands Company LLC, which does business as Firelands Scientific. Firelands Scientific has a medical marijuana dispensary in Huron and also makes medical marijuana products for other stores. The same company, as OPC Cultivation LLC, also has a license to grow marijuana in Huron. The coalition also received a donation of $105,000 from Standard Wellness Company LLC of Gibsonburg, which has a license to grow medical marijuana in Sandusky County and also holds a license to manufacture medical marijuana products in Sandusky County. The coalition's filing shows that it has spent about $1 million so far and has roughly $208,000 of cash on hand. Most of the spending went toward the coalition's recent successful petition campaign to get its marijuana legalization proposal submitted to the Ohio General Assembly. Lawmakers have four months to approve or reject the plan. Adults 21 and older would be allowed to legally purchase and use pot and to grow a few marijuana plants at home. If they don't pass it, the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol could mount another petition drive to put its legalization plan before voters. Tom Haren, a spokesman for The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, said he's confident his group can raise more money if necessary to conduct another petition drive. The group's filing shows that the largest donations come from the Marijuana Policy Project, which is located in Washington, D.C. The group's website explains, "The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is the number one organization in the U.S. dedicated to legalizing cannabis. We've passed 14 medical cannabis laws, and we've run winning campaigns and legislative efforts in 10 of the 18 legalization states." Other donations to the coalition include $105,000 from ATCPC of Ohio LLC, which does business as Klutch Cannabis and has a license to grow medical marijuana in Akron; $50,000 form Buckeye Relief, a medical marijuana processors and cultivator in Eastlake; $25,000 from Riviera Creek LLC, a cultivator and processor in Youngstown, and $160,000 from Battle Green Holdings, LLC, a marijuana company in Columbus.