Ohio Legalizes Medical Marijuana

[forest444]

Source: U.S. News and World Report

Republican Gov. John Kasich signed a bill Wednesday legalizing medical marijuana in Ohio, though patients shouldn't expect to get it from dispensaries here anytime soon.

The bill lays out a number of steps that must happen first to set up the state's medical marijuana program, which is expected to be fully operational in about two years. The law would allow patients to use marijuana in vapor form for certain chronic health conditions, but bar them from smoking it or growing it at home.

Kasich's signature made Ohio the 25th state to legalize a comprehensive medical marijuana program, according to a count by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

When the law takes effect in 90 days, however, cities and towns could move to ban dispensaries or limit the number of them. Licensed cultivators, processors, dispensaries and testing laboratories could not be within 500-feet of schools, churches, public libraries, playgrounds or parks. Employers could continue to enforce drug-testing policies and maintain drug-free workplaces.

Banks that provide services to marijuana-related entities would be protected from criminal prosecution.

Read more: http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2016-06-09/ohio-becomes-latest-state-to-legalize-medical-marijuana

[TeamPooka]

1. K & R nt

[forest444]

2. Good for Kasich.

I think he of all people could really use a good toke after what he just went through.

[phazed0]

3. Now if we could just get Obama and Clinton to accept science... nt

Not holding my breath for anything intelligent on the matter from them anytime soon.

[immoderate]

4. Prohibits more than it allows!

Best you can say is it's a step in some direction. This will benefit the 'seizures and glaucoma' crowd. Real progress is slow.

--imm

[forest444]

5. True. But it was heavy lift for a Republican.

The same, of course, could be said for our presumptive nominee.

[Marthe48]

6. Too long for us

My husband was diagnosed with cancer in March, doctors give him a year. We aim to prove them wrong, but the headline gave us some hope that we'd have another tool to fight cancer cells.

[immoderate]

7. My best wishes go to you folks!

Keep truckin'.

--imm

[Marthe48]

8. Thank you

thank you, thank you.

[colsohlibgal]

9. Better Than Nothing But.....

It is a very restrictive bill and won't get rolling anytime soon.

And I am as sure as I can be that the recent election to just legalize it period was dirty, off all the polling pre election, which showed a very tight race with a slight edge to yes.....and the final result was it "lost" by over 2 to 1, 68 to 32???. Statistically virtually impossible.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. Thank you Ohio!

Did we know Kasich was leaning this way? I watched a few debates, but don't recall it coming up. Thank you, Governor.

A lot of work to do for sanity to prevail, but now 25 and counting!

[maxsolomon]

11. I'm sorry, but WHAT?

The law would allow patients to use marijuana in vapor form for certain chronic health conditions, but bar them from smoking it or growing it at home.

So the only legal way to use it is to buy a $200 VAPORIZER?

[olddad56]

12. And I thought Ohio was 30 years behind the times...

turn out they are only about 15.

[afertal]

13. You're giving them too much credit...

I think you were closer at 30 years. I retired and left Ohio about a year ago after a 50-year stay and it is truly sad that they have such a large number of people who vote against their own best interests because of 'guns and religion'.

I'm hopeful (but not optimistic) that the Republican National Circus will wake up a few Ohioans outside of Cuyahoga County.

[sammcgee68]

14. Too Late

*I live in Ohio and this announcement for me could have been very helpful a year ago. My Wife passed away a little over a year ago.For the past 50 years we have always enjoyed the evil weed , but when we received a cancer diagnosis 7 years ago the one reliable medication was Marijuana. We had access to every pharmaceutical available and the only thing that would cure the nausea , stimulate the appetite from rapid wait loss and bring a beautiful smile to this wonderful woman's face was Marijuana. This was something the pharmaceutical companies did not control , it was a gift from Mother Nature. During the last couple of months in the hospital and the Hospice we were not able to obtain or use our own form of self medication. Not only that but the hospital and all involved in the end of life care were very vocal about their objections to our request for medical marijuana. I just wish we had access to medical marijuana a short year ago.
We had a marijuana proposal for Recreational and medical on the ballot a short while ago here in Ohio and it was roundly defeated . Not because the majority actually didn't want it, but the proposal was set up to give a few wealthy investors a virtual monopoly on all marijuana grown in the state to a select group of investors who wrote the bill. The Republican powers that be saw the writing on the wall and knew that legalization was inevitable eventually. They rammed this bill through the Ohio legal system this week so they can control and limit how marijuana is made available in Ohio with their own way to control it and bypass a more comprehensive bill.

[Marthe48]

15. My deepest sympathies

I hope that you can find peace with your good memories.