https://www.mapinc.org/media/4007
Wed, 21 May 2008

COLUMBUS - Ohio Sen. Tom Roberts, D-Dayton, unveiled details of the
Ohio Medical Compassion Act on Tuesday, which if adopted, "would
allow patients to use medicinal cannabis through a regulated system
of quality health care."

If enacted, Ohio would join 12 other states that have currently
de-criminalized the use of medicinal marijuana.

According to Roberts, the legislation would allow qualified patients
and primary caregivers to use medicinal cannabis through a cardholder system.

Tonya Davis, a medicinal marijuana user who assisted in drafting the
bill, said that under the proposed legislation, only a patient with a
medical condition or illness that is sufficiently serious or
debilitating, and who has the approval of his or her medical
practitioner, will be able to use cannabis. Davis suffers from a host
of debilitating medical conditions, including domestic
violence-induced scoliosis, and is confined to a wheelchair.

"It's time that Ohio just look at the science and with it being well
regulated, hopefully ... we'll be able to protect the patients more,"
Davis told the News.

Roberts' proposed legislation would call on the Ohio Departments of
Health and Agriculture to establish an advisory board to regulate the
use of medicinal marijuana. The program would be run under a
cardholder system, and the board would be responsible for reviewing
the use of cannabis in cases of debilitated medical conditions,
reviewing applications for registry identification cards and
providing recommendations for the safe growing and use of medical cannabis.

"After talking with Tonya [Davis] on and off for the last two years,
I've had the opportunity to meet people who've had these debilitating
conditions that this kind of medical treatment could help," Roberts
told the News. "When crafting this bill, we took the best practices
from across the country and put them into the Ohio Medical Compassion Act."

Additionally, Davis said, the bill would prohibit cardholders from
performing tasks under the influence that would constitute negligence
or malpractice, possessing or using on school grounds or correctional
facilities, and driving under the influence.

The bill would also prohibit the smoking of marijuana in public and
would not require employers to accommodate the use of cannabis in the
workplace. It also establishes that a patient may not possess more
than 200 grams of marijuana and 12 mature plants for personal use.

Allen St. Pierre, executive director of the National Organization for
the Reform of Marijuana Laws, told the News that if passed, the new
law should not be that problematic since Ohio is already a
de-criminalized state.

"These patients should be protected from going into the justice
system any further than an initial arrest," said St. Pierre. "At the
prosecutorial level, [prosecutors] should be able to take a deep
breath, look at the law, and in most cases, if the person complied
with the [medicinal] law, then these individuals will not go any
further through the criminal justice system. Society at this point
realizes that for a person who is sick and dying, a jail cell should
not be a prescription."

St. Pierre said that Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota,
Wisconsin and Michigan all have similar legislation pending voter approval.

For now, Roberts said he plans to formally introduce the bill in the
Senate this morning, where it will soon be referred to committee for
hearing. Roberts said Davis and others are expected to testify to the
committee about the benefits of the proposed legislation.

"I'm just so humbled and touched that this is finally going to
happen," said Davis. "I just hope I live to see this bill pass."

Another domino!! Way to go Ohio!!

Originally Posted by peanutbutter

Another domino!! Way to go Ohio!!

Yep, good stuff. Too bad the patients will not be protected at employment.

[Storm Crow]

Tex, it will come- one step at a time.

And guys, here are a few polls to vote in on legalization

https://www.daytondailynews.com/n/con...aweb.html#poll

https://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/home.html

https://www.10tv.com/live/content/index.html

SPEAK UP! LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Granny

Originally Posted by Storm Crow

Tex, it will come- one step at a time.

And guys, here are a few polls to vote in on legalization

https://www.daytondailynews.com/n/con...aweb.html#poll

https://www.nbc4i.com/midwest/cmh/home.html

https://www.10tv.com/live/content/index.html

SPEAK UP! LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Granny

LOL 80% yes at daton.

We need polls conducted by someone like gallup. With the question "does a candadates stand on medical marijuana inpact your vote?"

THAT would let politicians know just how much a swing vote it is.

[Storm Crow]

Jeff- that threat is one I live with every day! I work in education- and although I have received consistently high evaluations, and do my job better than anyone else in that category, I have no doubt that I would be fired if the administration knew I used cannabis medically. I am looking forward to living without that fear, but I am patient. 20 years ago, medical marijuana was just a hoped for goal.

Now, full equality with other medicated workers is the goal. There will be a California bill for worker protection soon- and other states will follow by passing their own laws, or write it into their new MMJ laws. (It won't stop at 12 states, ya know.)

With 70 to 80% of the American public agreeing to medical marijuana, it will only be a matter of time. Public acceptance (except in jobs that have safety issues) is a reality. Now, the government just has to catch up.

Until then, I toke and keep my head low- smiling, because I am too "small potatoes" for the feds to bother with, and the locals can't/won't bust me because I am scrupulous about the limits and restrictions. Never more than 6 plants (of any size) per adult medical user, I never deal (Hubby and I use all I grow), I live a "low key" life, and I haven't had 8 ounces in a coons age!

It's not ideal, but far better than when a seed or roach could get you 20 years! Progress has been, and will be, made. So keep writing your politicians, showing your doctor the latest medical findings and using in a responsible manner! Full equality will come!

- Granny

Originally Posted by Storm Crow

Jeff- that threat is one I live with every day! I work in education- and although I have received consistently high evaluations, and do my job better than anyone else in that category, I have no doubt that I would be fired if the administration knew I used cannabis medically. I am looking forward to living without that fear, but I am patient. 20 years ago, medical marijuana was just a hoped for goal.

Now, full equality with other medicated workers is the goal. There will be a California bill for worker protection soon- and other states will follow by passing their own laws, or write it into their new MMJ laws. (It won't stop at 12 states, ya know.)

With 70 to 80% of the American public agreeing to medical marijuana, it will only be a matter of time. Public acceptance (except in jobs that have safety issues) is a reality. Now, the government just has to catch up.

Until then, I toke and keep my head low- smiling, because I am too "small potatoes" for the feds to bother with, and the locals can't/won't bust me because I am scrupulous about the limits and restrictions. Never more than 6 plants (of any size) per adult medical user, I never deal (Hubby and I use all I grow), I live a "low key" life, and I haven't had 8 ounces in a coons age!

It's not ideal, but far better than when a seed or roach could get you 20 years! Progress has been, and will be, made. So keep writing your politicians, showing your doctor the latest medical findings and using in a responsible manner! Full equality will come!

- Granny

And thank you for taking pride in your job and doing it well.

I hope there will be a day when you and I can live without fear.

[Backwoods Bud]

It'd be nice to see some more mid-western states get a MMJ law passed. I'm not holding out a lot of hope for Missouri. I got a reply from MO Senator, Claire McCaskill stating that she will never support legalization because as a former prosecutor, she's seen what harm it causes, blah, blah, blah. I hope the hell Obama doesn't pick her for VP! Heard talk that she's on his short list. There is some support in the house though.

[buckeye-leaf]

medical for ohio!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Backwoods Bud

I got a reply from MO Senator, Claire McCaskill stating that she will never support legalization because as a former prosecutor, she's seen what harm it causes, blah, blah, blah. I hope the hell Obama doesn't pick her for VP! Heard talk that she's on his short list.

Good to know. Thanks for posting that.

[3dDream]

Couple points of interest. It is always nice to see the copy and paste in these bills. There is some good stuff in here, maybe more states will copy. This will help many... Is Ohio progressive enough? Will Michigan be first?


(B) If a person who is not a registered qualifying patient demonstrates the person's medical purpose for using cannabis pursuant to this section, the person shall not be subject to either of the following:

(1) Disciplinary action by a business or licensing agency;

(2) Forfeiture of any interest in or right to property.

Sec. 3728.01. As used in this chapter:

(A) "Cannabis" means marihuana as defined in section 3719.01 of the Revised Code.

(B) "Cannabis plant" means female individuals of the cannabis genus or their cultivars.

(C) "Cardholder" means a registered qualifying patient or registered primary caregiver.

(D) "Debilitating medical condition" means one or more of the following:

(1) Cancer; glaucoma; positive status for human immunodeficiency virus; acquired immune deficiency syndrome; hepatitis C; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Crohn's disease; agitation of Alzheimer's disease; nail patella; multiple sclerosis; injury or disease to the spinal cord, spinal column, or vertebra; mylomalacia; celiac disease; or the treatment of these conditions;

(2) A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following:

(a) Cachexia or wasting syndrome;

(b) Severe or chronic pain;

(c) Severe or chronic nausea;

(d) Seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy;

(e) Severe or persistent muscle spasms.

(3) Any other medical condition or its treatment added as a debilitating medical condition pursuant to section 3728.371 of the Revised Code.

(E) "Law enforcement officer" has the same meaning as in section 2901.01 of the Revised Code.

(F) "Licensing agency" means a department, division, board, section of a board, or other state governmental unit authorized by the Revised Code to issue a license,

....