Pubdate: Mon, 07 Apr 2014
Source: Vindicator, The (Youngstown, OH)
Copyright: 2014 The Vindicator
Contact:  http://www.vindy.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3298
Author: Ed Runyan
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?197 (Marijuana - Medicinal - Ohio)

PROS AND CONS OF OHIO MARIJUANA CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT DEBATED

Rights Group, Hagan at Odds Over Approach

YOUNGSTOWN - The Ohio Rights Group has collected about 15 percent of
the 385,000 signatures it needs by July 2 to put the Ohio Cannabis
Rights Amendment to the Ohio Constitution on the November ballot.

The group's president, John Pardee of Amherst, said the "army" of
people wanting the medical marijuana amendment to pass "is growing by
the day."

Pardee said that ironically may be the reason why state Rep. Robert F.
Hagan of Youngstown, D-58th, a longtime proponent of legalizing
medical marijuana, has pulled his support for the amendment.

Pardee said he thinks Hagan is looking at legislative options to
medical marijuana instead of a constitutional amendment because the
Ohio Rights Group has "started making so much noise" with its
legalization message that people across the state are "starting to pay
attention."

Hagan has advocated medical marijuana in the past but never got any
support, but now things are different because public interest is
increasing, in part because of advertisements saying children with
epilepsy need marijuana treatment and can't get it, Pardee said.

"They don't want to see the people have that kind of power," Pardee
said of Ohioans deciding on whether to legalize medical marijuana
rather than government officials.

Hagan said Friday he will partner with Lynn Wachtmann, a Republican
state representative from Napoleon, to introduce legislation that
would legalize medical marijuana only for children with epilepsy.

Hagan said he's not in favor of the constitutional amendment approach
because "changing the Constitution is a serious issue that has to be
vetted," adding, "It should not be so easy as putting a bowl of soup
in a microwave."

The state-approved ballot language for the constitutional amendment
would allow people to use the drug to combat debilitating medical
conditions such as cancer, HIV, injury or disease to the spinal cord,
severe or chronic pain or other conditions designated by a commission
that would be established.

Angela McClellan, director of the Coalition for a Drug-Free Mahoning
County, is an opponent of the amendment, partly because of her belief
that marijuana is a gateway drug, meaning it leads to use of
more-dangerous drugs.

"The data tells us that most people with substance-abuse issues have
already used marijuana during their journey to full-blown substance
abuse, that marijuana is a step in the process of developing
substance-abuse issues," she said.

McClellan said she would support giving a liquid derived from
marijuana to people with epilepsy if it decreases seizure activity.

"But where is the research? And is it safe?" McClellan
said.

"If it has medical properties, why not run it through the Food and
Drug Administration?" she asked.

Pardee said he doesn't believe marijuana is the gateway drug some
people allege and that prescription-drug abuse may be a more-important
precursor to abuse of opiates such as heroin.

Marijuana can, in fact, be used as a "step-down drug" to help people
trying to kick a heroin addiction, Pardee said, adding that marijuana
is less addictive than coffee, alcohol or cigarettes.

Pardee said the amendment would end discrimination against marijuana
users.

For example, it would prevent law enforcement from using a blood test
to determine whether a person was driving while intoxicated on
marijuana, Pardee said.

A blood test for marijuana is unfair because the active ingredient in
marijuana remains in the bloodstream for weeks, compared to hours for
alcohol, he said.

McClellan said that part of the amendment would "open Pandora's box"
because the rights of the marijuana user would be protected, but the
rights of the rest of society would not.

"Under the amendment, if someone causes an accident, they cannot be
tested for intoxication by marijuana," McClellan said. 
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