Pubdate: Sun, 29 May 2016
Source: Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Copyright: 2016 The Associated Press
Contact:  http://www.morningjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3569
Author: Dan Sewell, The Associated Press

UP IN SMOKE: GROUP ENDS OHIO MEDICAL MARIJUANA BALLOT DRIVE

A group Saturday ended its effort to put a medical marijuana issue on 
Ohio's general election ballot.

The Ohioans for Medical Marijuana announced that organizers decided 
with "a heavy heart" to halt collection of signatures to get on the 
November ballot in the aftermath of passage this past week by state 
lawmakers of a medical marijuana legalization bill.

The proposal would bar patients from smoking marijuana or growing it 
at home, but it would allow its use in vapor form for certain chronic 
health conditions. It still requires Gov. John Kasich's signature.

The ballot campaign initially said the legislation would bolster 
their efforts. But the statement Saturday from campaign manager 
Brandon Lynaugh said that while the group still believes patients 
should be allowed to grow and smoke their own marijuana, the bill was 
"a step forward" and "all in all, a moderately good piece of 
legislation passed by lawmakers who were pushed hard by the patient community."

Backed by the nationally active Marijuana Policy Project, the Ohio 
group said the bill's final version removed red tape and regulations 
that would have limited patient access. It said it will continue as 
an advocate to make sure the state adheres to the legislation and 
will work to improve the program.

Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, welcomed the 
Saturday announcement, and praised "the General Assembly's 
willingness to listen and respond to the will of Ohioans." He said in 
statement that the legislation passed is "a common-sense plan ... 
that provides a system for legalizing medical marijuana that is 
tightly regulated but accessible to those who need it."

The legislation had bipartisan backing, and supporters cited 
emotional testimony from chronic pain sufferers and parents of sick 
children as influencing their decisions.

Lawmakers fast-tracked the measure to head off the issue headed 
toward fall ballots. Ohioans last year rejected a broader marijuana 
legalization bid.

Sen. Jay Hottinger, a Newark Republican, opposed the legislation. He 
said there is inadequate proof of the medical benefits of marijuana 
and expanding access runs too many risks.

The State Department of Commerce would regulate marijuana cultivation 
and distribution and requires each dispensary to employ a registered 
pharmacist. The state medical board would oversee recommending 
doctors and provide them with continuing education.

The bill also sets parameters for the placement of dispensaries, 
including prohibiting them from being placed within 1,000 feet of a 
daycare facility and allowing communities to opt out of having one. 
Employers who want to maintain drug-free workplaces would have immunity.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom