Pubdate: Sun, 08 Feb 2015
Source: Dayton Daily News (OH)
Copyright: 2015 Dayton Daily News
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/7JXk4H3l
Website: http://www.daytondailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/120
Author: Vivienne Machi

CANNABIS OIL BILL HEADS TO OHIO HOUSE

Butler County Lawmaker Backing Extract for Seizures.

COLUMBUS - A state lawmaker from Butler County is behind a proposed 
bill that would allow a specific strain of medical marijuana to be 
used by some Ohio hospitals to develop treatments for seizures.

Ohio Reps. Wes Retherford, R-Hamilton, and John M. Rogers, 
D-Mentor-On-The-Lake, are the primary sponsors of House Bill 33, 
which would allow Ohio physicians to prescribe a specific oil infused 
with cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive chemical in cannabis and low in 
tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the chemical that produces a high in 
users. Seizure patients could then legally possess this extract and 
participate in clinical trials.

Through this legislation, the drug would be available to doctors at 
University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati Children's 
Hospital Medical Center, Ohio State University's Wexner Medical 
Center, Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, University 
Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, and Rainbow Babies and 
Children's Hospital in Cleveland.

Dr. Michael Privitera, a neurologist and director of the Epilepsy 
Center at the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute, said 
he has patients ask him at least once a day about medical marijuana. 
He said more than 2 million Americans have epilepsy.

"We support research; there are many people with bad epilepsy that 
need new treatments," Privitera said.

But he said it's too early to say if the treatment option will be 
feasible long term. Privitera said it will take a lot of research, 
clinical trials and risk-benefit analysis before that is determined.

Privitera said research will determine how well the drug works as a 
treatment option, for which types of seizures it is most effective, 
and what the side effects are.

"There's not good research yet," Privitera said. "It could be a very 
important treatment for people with epilepsy ... but it's not a 
proven treatment yet."

Privitera said it's also difficult for medical professionals to 
conduct research on the drug as it's still a Schedule 1 drug by the 
Drug Enforcement Administration.

"We want the DEA to lower the schedule so we can research it," Privitera said.

Retherford said that while he is still opposed to full marijuana 
legislation, he supports this bill because it would restrict the use 
of the chemical to university and children's hospitals in Ohio for 
the purpose of research and treatment of seizures.

"The research and studies I've talked with people about show there is 
potential with cannabidiol for making life better for people who 
suffer from debilitating diseases such as epilepsy," Retherford said.

Retherford said he still opposes legalizing marijuana for 
recreational purposes and the commercial sale of medical marijuana, 
as proposed by several legalization advocates. One such group, 
Responsible Ohio, has proposed a constitutional amendment that would 
name just 10 sites for growing marijuana.

"I especially disagree with not only the concept of medical marijuana 
(sales), but (proposed legislation by) Responsible Ohio also 
establishes a constitutional monopoly, which I am also opposed to," 
Retherford said.

Retherford's House district includes the city of Hamilton in Butler 
County, which recently proposed an ordinance change that would ban 
medical marijuana sales within the municipality. Retherford said that 
such legislation was "completely within the city's prerogatives" and 
did not see it conflicting with his proposed legislation.

"None of the university and children's hospitals impacted are within 
the city limits, so it wouldn't impact my bill," he said.

A public hearing and first reading for Hamilton's proposed 
legislation, which would ban medical marijuana sales in all of the 
city's zoning districts, is scheduled for the Feb. 11 City Council meeting.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom