Most Ohioans Support Opening New Marijuana Shops In The State And Say They Improve The Economy, Poll Finds

Ohioans are broadly supportive of having marijuana dispensaries in the
state, with a majority saying the industry is positively impacting the
economy, according to a new poll.

Researchers at Ohio Northern University’s Institute for Civics and Public
Policy (ICAPP) surveyed adults on a wide range of what it called “backyard
issues,” including solar farms, multi-family housing and cannabis shops.

Overall, it found that 47 percent of respondents support the construction
of marijuana dispensaries “whether in new buildings or by converting
existing commercial buildings,” while just 28 percent said they’re against
it. That seems to conflict with talking points from prohibitionists who’ve
long argued that, while a majority of the public might support legalization
in theory, they don’t want cannabis retailers in their communities.

The poll also found that a majority of Ohioans (61 percent) feel marijuana
dispensaries are having a positive impact on the economy, while a plurality
(41 percent) agree those retailers have improved quality of life.

Despite those findings, a plurality of respondents (37 percent) said that
dispensaries have a negative impact on public safety, compared to 30
percent who said safety is improved with the businesses.

Fifty-four percent said the retail operations have a negative impact on the
environment, while 36 percent said the impact is positive.

“There is overall support for cannabis dispensaries in Ohio, especially
when it comes to their economic impact, but that support drops considerably
when discussing other impacts of the issue like public safety,” Brian King,
assistant professor of political science and faculty associate at ICAPP,
said in a press release.

“Those over 65 have the most negative opinions of dispensaries overall,
while conservatives and those making more than $100,000 annually also
express negative opinions when it comes to dispensaries’ impact on public
safety,” he said.

“Public opinion matters,” King said, “and these results will inform
policymakers throughout the state about what their constituents want and
why.”

The Institute for Civics and Public Policy has released the Northern Poll,
a survey of Ohioans that covered four zoning issues: solar farms;
multi-family housing; marijuana/cannabis dispensaries; and AI/data centers.

📝 Read the results of the poll: https://t.co/U8PsCYJT23
pic.twitter.com/2ewVxGEMhr

— Ohio Northern Univ. (@ohionorthern) November 5, 2025

The poll—which involved interviews with 1,638 Ohio adults from October
7-13—comes amid a debate within the state legislature about proposals to
revise the voter-approved marijuana legalization law and add restrictions
to the hemp products.

That legislative effort hit a roadblock last month—with the Senate soundly
rejecting the latest amended version that advanced out of the House.

The legislation from Sen. Stephen Huffman (R) first passed the Senate in
February before reaching the House floor last week, where members approved
substantive changes scaling back certain controversial provisions but still
maintained language advocates say undermines the will of voters who
approved legalization in 2023.

While the current bill’s supporters have described it as a less
heavy-handed approach compared to the original Senate measure, the
legislation would make substantive changes to the existing legalization
law—with several provisions that advocates say directly contradict the will
of voters and represent overreach on the part of lawmakers.

For example, the proposal would eliminate language in current statute
providing anti-discrimination protections for people who lawfully use
cannabis. That includes protections meant to prevent adverse actions in the
context of child custody rights, the ability to qualify for organ
transplants and professional licensing.

It would also recriminalize possessing marijuana from any source that isn’t
a state-licensed dispensary in Ohio or from a legal home grow. As such,
people could be charged with a crime for carrying cannabis they bought at a
legal retailer in neighboring Michigan.

Additionally, it would ban smoking cannabis at outdoor public locations
such as bar patios—and it would allow landlords to prohibit vaping
marijuana at rented homes. Violating that latter policy, even if it
involves vaping in a person’s own backyard at a rental home, would
constitute a misdemeanor offense.

Unlike the Senate-passed version of the bill, the House substitute would
send tax revenue from cannabis sales to local governments.

The latest Senate vote on concurrence comes weeks after the governor issued
emergency rules prohibiting the sale of intoxicating hemp products for 90
days, with instructions to the legislature to consider permanent
regulations. Earlier this month, however, a county judge enjoined the state
from enforcing that policy in response to a legal challenge.


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Meanwhile, in September, the Ohio Department of Cannabis Control (DCC)
filed new proposed rules to build upon the state’s marijuana legalization
law, laying out plans to update regulations on labeling and packaging
requirements.

The proposal came weeks after Ohio medical and adult-use marijuana sales
officially crossed $3 billion, data from the state Department of Commerce
(DOC) shows.

The state sold about $703 million in recreational cannabis in the law’s
first year of implementation, according to DCC data.

In March, a survey of 38 municipalities by the Ohio State University’s
(OSU) Moritz College of Law found that local leaders were “unequivocally
opposed” to earlier proposals that would have stripped the planned funding.

Meanwhile in Ohio, adults as of June are able to buy more than double the
amount of marijuana than they were under previous limits, with state
officials determining that the market can sustainably supply both medical
cannabis patients and adult consumers.

The governor in March separately announced his desire to reallocate
marijuana tax revenue to support police training, local jails and
behavioral health services. He said funding police training was a top
priority, even if that wasn’t included in what voters passed in 2023.

Ohio’s Senate president has also pushed back against criticism of the
Senate bill, claiming the legislation does not disrespect the will of the
electorate and would have little impact on products available in stores.

*Photo courtesy of Brian Shamblen.*

The post Most Ohioans Support Opening New Marijuana Shops In The State And
Say They Improve The Economy, Poll Finds appeared first on Marijuana Moment.