With the scent of recreational marijuana soon wafting through Ohio, a new bill is sniffing out a solution for a four-legged problem. House Bill 396, introduced earlier this year, tackles the issue of police dogs trained to detect marijuana.
These furry officers, while valuable assets to law enforcement, become liabilities when it comes to legalized cannabis. They can’t be reliably retasked to sniff out other drugs. Enter House Bill 396, aiming to be a financial life vest for K-9 units across the state.
The bill proposes a $6 million lifeline to replace these specialized marijuana-sniffing pups. These funds would help agencies acquire new dogs trained to detect a wider range of substances, ensuring law enforcement maintains its bite.
But this financial bone isn’t entirely free. The initial $6 million would be reimbursed from a special fund – the cannabis social equity and jobs fund. In essence, tax revenue from recreational marijuana sales would pay to replace the very dogs rendered ineffective by legalization.
The bill is still in its early stages, currently under the watchful eye of the House Finance Committee. With committee approval, it could progress through the legislative process, potentially leading to a windfall for Ohio’s K-9 units.
