Comparing Ohio’s New Medical Marijuana Policy With Other States

Recently Ohio joined the ranks of nearly half the country by legalizing the medical use of cannabis. Let’s take a look at the specifics of Ohio’s medical marijuana law and compare its language to that of the laws in other states where medical marijuana has been legalized.

Ohio’s Medical Marijuana law Versus That of Other States

Unlike other states where medical cannabis is legal, Ohioans who wish to utilize this treatment option will face a few hurtles.  Ohio’s medical marijuana legislation is similar to that of New York, as patients will not be allowed to grow it or smoke it in the traditional manner. Rather, the new law requires patients to purchase a limited amount of the product from a dispensary and consume it through a vaporizer.  In contrast, Washington D.C. has its own unique set of marijuana laws in which only the sellers are punished. Beltway residents over the age of 21 can now legally buy, use and grow medical marijuana.

Yet states like Colorado, Oregon and Washington have a totally different set of laws when it comes to marijuana. Both medical and recreational marijuana are legal in these states. Anyone over the age of 21 can purchase marijuana through a dispensary in these states. Their laws are quite the contrast to those in states like Wisconsin, Texas and Alabama where the sole form of legal cannabis is an oil extract known as cannabidiol that treats childhood epilepsy.

In addition, Ohioans will not be reimbursed by their insurance companies for the cost of medical marijuana. Ohio’s medical marijuana law also states that local governments have the power to shut down or severely limit operations at local marijuana dispensaries.

Ohio’s Extensive List of Qualifying Medical Conditions for Medical Marijuana

All in all, Ohio lawmakers have included a whopping 21 unique medical conditions in the state’s medical marijuana legislation. This is an astonishingly high number compared to other states. Examples of medical conditions that will qualify an Ohioan for medical marijuana use are post-traumatic stress disorder, HIV/AIDS, ulcerative colitis, cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. This is quite an extensive range of qualifying medical conditions compared to most other states.

Though Ohio’s medical marijuana law certainly accounts for a myriad of health conditions that are not recognized by other states’ medical marijuana laws, there are some states with an even longer list of qualifying conditions. As an example, Illinois residents can obtain access to medical marijuana if they suffer from any one of nearly 40 medical conditions.

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