Controversial marijuana initiative defeated in Ohio vote

A controversial ballot measure which would have legalized the recreational use of marijuana -- but granted a monopoly to its backers -- failed to win the support of voters in the US state of Ohio Tuesday. The marijuana initiative failed by nearly a two-to-one margin -- 65 to 35 percent with nearly 70 percent of precincts reporting -- according to state elections officials. A group of wealthy investors reportedly spent $25 million on the slick campaign to legalize recreational marijuana which inc