(a) No person shall knowingly cultivate marihuana.
(b) This section does not apply to any person listed in Ohio R.C. 2925.03(B)(1) to (3) to the extent and under the circumstances described in those divisions.
(c) Whoever commits a violation of subsection (a) hereof is guilty of illegal cultivation of marihuana. Illegal cultivation of marihuana is a misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana involved does not exceed 200 grams.
(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c)(2) hereof, illegal cultivation of marihuana is a minor misdemeanor, or if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(2) If the amount of marihuana involved equals or exceeds 100 grams but is less than 200 grams, illegal cultivation of marihuana is a misdemeanor of the fourth degree, or if the offense was committed in the vicinity of a school or in the vicinity of a juvenile, a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(d) In addition to any other sanction imposed for an offense under this section, the court that sentences an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a violation of this section may suspend the offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit in accordance with division (G) of Ohio R.C. 2925.03. If an offender’s driver’s or commercial driver’s license or permit is suspended in accordance with that division, the offender may request termination of, and the court may terminate, the suspension in accordance with that division.
(e) Arrest or conviction for a minor misdemeanor violation of this section does not constitute a criminal record and need not be reported by the person so arrested or convicted in response to any inquiries about the person’s criminal record, including any inquiries contained in an application for employment, a license, or any other right or privilege or made in connection with the person’s appearance as a witness. (ORC 2925.04)