ResponsibleOhio will be making a stop at Ohio University during their Green Rush Bus Tour, but university officials say there might not be a space available for them to set up.
Ohio University students might notice a green RV camper and life-sized marijuana bud hanging around campus Tuesday — as long as that RV can find a place to park.
ResponsibleOhio announced in a news release Monday they are stopping at OU as part of their "Green Rush Bus Tour."
Katie Quaranta, spokeswoman for OU, said if the group isn’t being brought in by a university entity, they might not have any room to set up shop.
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The tour was launched last month, and aims to promote the Nov. 3 ballot measure that would legalize marijuana for medical and recreational use in Ohio.
As of Monday, the location for the event was still to be determined.
“I think what’s going to happen is we’re probably going to get to campus early and just get a spot,” Faith Oltman, spokeswoman for ResponisbleOhio said.
Quaranta said Monday the group had not reached out to parking services or event planning, meaning options for parking and setting up displays will likely be limited.
She said if the group members wanted to set up a table in front of Baker Center, they needed to apply for one through event services.
The group members can apply for a permit online through Parking Services, but they can only be granted a permit if they are university employees are or being brought in by a group at the university.
“If they’re not, then their only option would be to park at one of the metered spaces or the Baker Lot,” Quaranta said.
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But those spaces might not be big enough to accommodate an RV or a bus, especially if the group plans to set up displays, Quaranta said.
The tour was originally slated to stop on campus on Oct. 6, according to a previous Post report.
Oltman said the group is visiting college campuses earlier than planned to encourage students to register to vote.
“We’re narrowing in on the frame for voter registration and wanted to be helpful in really getting the word out to college students,” she said. "They’re very supportive of this issue but are less likely to vote. … We’re really wanting to help out in that way.”
The last day for voter registration is Oct. 5.
In addition to helping students fill out voter registration forms, the tour will provide information about potential job opportunities, medical marijuana testimonies and an interactive visual presentation.
ResponsibleOhio’s proposal would authorize marijuana to be produced at 10 growing facilities throughout Ohio.
The marijuana would then go to one of five testing facilities, one of which would be in Athens, before being shipped off to retailers, who can sell the marijuana to people 21 and older.
People could also to apply for a permit to home-grow up to four marijuana plants.
Oltman said the organization’s mascot Buddie “might be making an appearance” at the OU tour stop.
Buddie, a muscular green bud of marijuana in superhero attire, was introduced at the end of last month as a way to appeal to students on the tour’s university stops.
“It’s just a fun way to engage college students,” Oltman said. “The vast majority of students think Buddie is pretty cool. … We wanted to engage them in a fun and irreverent way.”
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