Cannabis use among Ohio teens was relatively low in 2021, with Ohio ranking 10thbest in HPIO’s 2024 Health Value Dashboard.

However, the Dashboard found that “with the recent legalization of recreational use for adults, policymakers will have to consider strategies to ensure that use does not increase among teens.”

One evidence-based strategy to support public health and safety is to reinvest tax revenue from addictive substances into prevention, treatment and recovery.

In current law, 25% of cannabis tax revenue supports a Substance Abuse and Addiction Fund managed by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, as illustrated above. The Governor's proposed version of the next state operating budget reduced that percentage to 14%, and the house-passed version eliminated any specific allocations to addiction prevention, treatment and recovery.