Ohioans Unhappy About Medical Marijuana Bill

An edited bill to legalize therapeutic cannabis in Ohio went through a House panel on Thursday, preparing the initiative for a vote in the House of Representatives this week. Regardless of the win, a group working to add medical marijuana to the ballot in November, Ohioans for Medical Marijuana, are not happy with the legislature’s bill. They are unhappy because of the lack of freedom the bill proposes. An addition asking that doctors recommending cannabis to patients must state exactly what type and way of use the patient can partake in, including the amount of THC, may be an issue for patients.

“These kinds of provisions risk putting doctors at odds with federal law and have significantly hindered the two-year-old medical marijuana program in New York,” spokesman for Ohioans for Medical Marijuana, Aaron Marshall, said.

As other areas where therapeutic cannabis is allowed do not let doctors determine the amount of THC to be used, the requirement has apparently made doctors turn away from being a part of the program. Doctors in Ohio would also be needed to state every three months how many patients received medical marijuana and for what reason.

“Very few doctors will be willing to enter into a system that doesn’t trust them to make decisions that are in the best interest of their patients and ties their hands with regulatory red tape,” Marshall stated.

At the moment, Ohioans for Medical Marijuana are collecting signatures and must collect 305,000 by July in order for it to be added to the November ballot.

“[W]e are not going to let the passage of a bad bill deter us,” Marshall reported, “The bottom line is that this bill will not provide patients with access to medical marijuana. We are going to continue to move forward with a plan that provides access to medical marijuana for thousands of Ohioans with serious debilitating illnesses.”