COLUMBUS – Lawmakers want to legalize medical marijuana in Ohio after years of stonewalling efforts to provide marijuana to patients.
The proposal, which will be introduced this week, would allow Ohioans to access edible marijuana, patches, plant material and oils while prohibiting individuals from growing medical marijuana at home as soon as two years from now. Only physicians would be permitted to recommend medical marijuana to patients.
The bill also would create a nine-member medical marijuana control commission under the Ohio Department of Health, which would create rules within a year to regulate medical marijuana. Those growing and dispensing medical marijuana would be regulated much like liquor stores to ensure facilities are located across the state, and that local communities can reject facilities proposed for their area.
Employers could still prevent medical marijuana use among employees even if employees have approval from doctors.
"The workplace can still be drug-free," said Rep. Kirk Schuring, R-Canton.
House and Senate lawmakers took different approaches to investigating the benefits of medical marijuana. Sen. Dave Burke, R-Marysville, and Sen. Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights, visited three cities, including Cincinnati, to listen to marijuana activists and opponents. House lawmakers created a task force, led by Schuring, which held multiple meetings in Columbus. The task force included former ResponsibleOhio leaders Jimmy Gould and Chris Stock, who authored Issue 3 to legalize all marijuana. Some in the Senate questioned whether the group's motives were pure with Issue 3 proponents on the panel.
Senators, who have been working on their own medical marijuana bill, don't plan to introduce it. Instead, they likely will follow the House version. Senate President Keith Faber, who had not seen the House version as of Tuesday, wants the final version to address his list of concerns.
"I have the same general concerns about medical marijuana that we've had before. Does it include smoke-able or not? Are we creating a database, just like we do with opiates? How are we going to allow the prescription? How many dispensaries are we going to have? Are we going to limit the production side? How are we going to award the licenses? Is it going to be a monopoly? All of those are questions that we have concerns about," Faber said.
Lawmakers are under a time crunch because two groups are working to place medical marijuana before voters in November. Marijuana Policy Project and its Ohio operation, Ohioans for Medical Marijuana, are gathering the 305,591 signatures needed to place its constitutional amendment on the fall ballot. Their proposal includes allowing adults older than 21 to grow up to six marijuana plants with a recommendation from their doctor. Those younger than 18 could use marijuana with a parent's permission and physician's recommendation.
Those who wish to grow marijuana commercially would apply for a license. Only 15 larger marijuana farms would be allowed in the state, and they would pay a $500,000 fee. Smaller operations would pay a $5,000 fee. Local officials and voters would have some say in where dispensaries could set up shop.
The other group is Grassroots Ohio, a group of Ohio marijuana activists not thrilled about the Marijuana Policy Project's plan. Instead, they would legalize medical marijuana for those older than 18 and allow farmers to grow industrial hemp through a constitutional amendment. Then, they would send lawmakers a proposal to regulate the industry.
House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, said he took issue with these groups moving forward while lawmakers were still working on a plan for medical marijuana.
"I think that gives a good point that people don't really care about the process, they just care about making money somewhere," Rosenberger said.
