The Associated Press confirms Ohio voters on Tuesday rejected Ohio's Issue 1, which would have reduced drug crime penalties.
Also known as the Neighborhood Safety, Drug Treatment, and Rehabilitation Amendment, Issue 1 would have changed the state's constitution to reduce drug penalties and send fewer people to prison.
The ballot initiative inspired vigorous debate from both sides of the political spectrum. Some said it would destroy the state. Others claimed it would cure Ohio's drug problem. Neither was true.
Issue 1 would not have changed penalties for people convicted of trafficking (the legal term for dealing) drugs.
And those caught using a first-, second- or third-degree amount of drugs could still have faced prison for drug possession. The argument is anyone with that many drugs must be sharing them or selling them.
In Ohio, the penalties for drug offenses depend on how much of a drug and what type of a drug is used. The measurement is called a "bulk amount" and it's different for each drug.
For example, current state law would punish someone with a fourth-degree felony if they were found with just under 1 kilogram of marijuana, just under 10 grams of cocaine or crack or just under 5 grams of heroin. If Ohio Issue 1 passed, those offenses would have become misdemeanors instead of felonies that could result in prison time.
The measure was also an issue in the governor's race: Republican Mike DeWine opposed it and Democrat Rich Cordray supported it.