Pubdate: Fri, 19 Jul 2013
Source: Vindicator, The (Youngstown, OH)
Copyright: 2013 The Vindicator
Contact:  http://www.vindy.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3298
Author: William K. Alcorn
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?197 (Marijuana - Medicinal - Ohio)

AMENDMENT TO LEGALIZE MEDICINAL MARIJUANA TOUTED AT LEMON GROVE RALLY

YOUNGSTOWN - Getting help for patients suffering and in pain is the
primary goal of the Ohio Rights Organization's effort to place a
constitu-tional amendment on the 2014 ballot that would legalize the
medical use of cannabis, better known as marijuana.

"We're not passing legislation. We're trying to pass a right," said
John Pardee, president of ORO at the organization's rally Thursday at
the Lemon Grove Restaurant in downtown Youngstown.

"The amendment would not only ensure that our loved ones will have the
right to use cannabis to ease their suffering, it would give farmers
the right to grow hemp as a profitable agriculture crop," Pardee said.

Though members of the small group at the Lemon Grove meeting all
seemed in favor of legalizing the use of marijuana for medicinal
purposes, not everyone agrees.

Dr. Steven Matson, president of the Ohio Chapter of the American
Society of Addiction Medicine, said in an email that he sees daily
examples in his practice that marijuana is a drug of abuse and
dependence that has serious negative consequences for many users.

"I see previously healthy teens now relegated to illegal activities to
fuel their drug abuse that started with marijuana," he wrote in the
email. "We know that teens that start smoking marijuana have a
significantly increased risk of cocaine, heroin and prescription drugs
use ... and a four to nine times increased risk of experiencing drug
abuse and drug dependence later in life."

Speaking for the amendment to legalize the medical use of marijuana
was longtime proponent state Rep. Robert F. Hagan of Youngstown,
D-58th, who recently introduced House Bill 153, which allows people
with chronic or debilitating medical conditions, such as cancer,
Crohn's disease and sickle-cell anemia, to cultivate or otherwise
obtain and use marijuana for treatment of their ailments.

"I'm moved by the fact that people are suffering. Marijuana use for
medicinal purposes needs to be legalized and decriminalized," Hagan
said.

"It's worth fighting this fight," said Youngstown native Mimi Peleg,
who works as a counselor in Israel for patients receiving medicinal
marijuana.

Medicinal marijuana is legal in that country, but still is considered
a "last resort" medication, Peleg said.

Patients in Israel are required to get counseling on, among other
things, the safe use of marijuana and the consumption methods.

Providing counseling and re-counseling and locating distribution
centers separate and away from marijuana growers are keys to the
success of the program in Israel, she said.

"The drug war and violence has to stop. The only people who would not
benefit from legalizing medicinal marijuana are large corporations and
drug cartels," Pardee said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt