Ohio Marijuana | OH Marijuana Ohio Marijuana Information and News
The Ohio Attorney General has been given an initiative petition to allow medical marijuana on the November 2016 ballot. Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), and its formed committee, Ohioans for Medical Marijuana submitted a petition with over 2,000 signatures. The press release includes that the State Attorney General has a period of 10 days to examine the official summary.
In that 10-day period, the office must also acknowledge that the petition does, in fact, have 1,000 valid signatures from Ohio voters. Following approval from the State Attorney General’s office, the petition will move onto the Ohio Ballot Board, who also has 10 days to review and confirm that the initiative complies with Ohio initiative laws.
Once both offices have given confirmation of compliance, the initiative will have until early July to obtain 305,591 more signatures to qualify for the November ballot.
Mason Tvert, MPP communications director says, “This initiative was drafted to ensure seriously ill Ohioans have safe and legal access to medical marijuana if their doctors believe it will alleviate their pain and suffering. The one benefit of not already having a medical marijuana law is that we were able to incorporate the best practices and lessons learned from the 23 states that do have one.”
The Ohio initiative passage would allow for:
- Protection from arrest, prosecution or discrimination in regards to housing, healthcare and child custody
- Allow patients with debilitating conditions to use medical marijuana
- Qualifying patients could grow limited amounts of medical marijuana
- Qualifying patients could designate a caregiver to grow medical marijuana
- Purchase medical marijuana from licensed dispensaries
- Establish restrictions for medical marijuana use
- Establish a Medical Marijuana Control Division
The initiative also outlines that a tightly controlled system revolving around the medical marijuana industry and Ohio program would be established.
Mason Tvert also stated, “Most Ohioans, like most Americans, support making medical marijuana legal for patients who could benefit from it. It’s time to stop punishing sick and dying people who are simply seeking relief. We’re confident most voters will agree come November.”
Recent polls show that 74-percent of Ohio voters support medical marijuana legalization. Only 22-percent are in opposition.
