JEFFERSON - Law enforcement officials from across the county joined in solidarity Friday against Issue 3, the state's marijuana legalization initiative, which will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. "Ashtabula County, like the rest of Ohio and the United States, is in the midst of a drug epidemic," county Prosecutor Nick Iarocci said from the steps of the old county courthouse in Jefferson, surrounded by officers from every police department in the county. "It is unimaginable that Ohio is considering legalizing marijuana, the 'gateway' drug to heroin and other opiates and narcotics, in the midst of the opiate epidemic that is causing death and agony to families of every social and economic class," he said. [continues 842 words]
Doctors have projected Tom Clint will only live another four months. A dentist visit in 1994 revealed leukoplakia in the Ashtabula man's mouth, which later progressed into stage 3 oral, nasal and skin cancers. In February, doctors said the only way to save his life was to remove his tongue, but he chose against a life in which he couldn't talk, and hasn't seen an oncologist since. The 57-year-old upholsterer said he's counting on the natural qualities of marijuana to halt, or even reverse, the spread of cancer through his body. [continues 1403 words]
Ohio's second proposed medical-marijuana statewide ballot issue took a step forward when it was certified by Attorney General Mike DeWine. The Ohio Medical Cannabis Amendment to the Ohio Constitution contains a "fair and truthful" summary and has the necessary 1,000 signatures of Ohio registered voters, DeWine determined. The issue next heads to the Ohio Ballot Board, which will determine whether it should appear on the Nov. 6 general-election ballot as a single issue or multiple issues. Secretary of State Jon Husted set a board meeting for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. If the board approves, supporters will be allowed to begin collecting the 385,245 valid signatures of registered voters necessary to qualify for the ballot. [continues 275 words]
Ashtabula County Taking Part In Pilot Program To Combat Problem JEFFERSON -- "It is a life-death struggle to get meth labs wiped out, says Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann. To help counties like Ashtabula County Dann and his staff helped obtain $1.8 million in federal grants to start methamphetamine pilot initiative program. Ashtabula County Sheriff's Department received a $449,661 portion of the total for its model initiative in eradicating, enforcing, preventative and education awareness program on the growing meth drug problems here. Dann along with staff members and Special Agent Supervisor Scott Duff with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation spent part of Friday morning at a press conference in Jefferson to explain the federal grant goals. [continues 313 words]
GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE - An unidentified village resident found a backpack filled with items used in the illegal manufacture of the drug methamphetamine Sunday morning, police reports show. The man was searching through the Dumpster behind Lakeview Resorts, located at 5287 Lake Road across the street from The Cove nightclub, when he found a backpack containing precursor materials: chemicals, funnels, meth oil extract and other items used to make methamphetamine, police reports show. "It was a backpack full of stuff, which can be just as dangerous as a large-scale meth lab. We treat them all with the same caution," village Police Chief Tim Bruckman said. [continues 107 words]
