Ohio patients push ballot over bill for medical marijuana

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Patients and their families who are backing a medical marijuana ballot issue in Ohio said Wednesday that the proposed constitutional amendment offers a quicker and more effective way for them to get relief than legislation. Two patients with debilitating illnesses and the mother of a boy with brain cancer appeared at a news conference to support …

Efforts to legalize marijuana in Ohio differ in who can grow, who can use

Ohio appears likely to become the 25th state to approve medical marijuana, either through a new state law or a voted constitutional amendment. State lawmakers and two citizen advocacy groups are working simultaneously on proposals to bring marijuana as medicine to Ohioans with qualifying medical conditions. But how the legislature and advocates approach the subject is very different, and the …

Medical marijuana supporters form campaign team

A leader in last year’s effort to thwart a proposal to legalize marijuana was named Monday in Ohio to run a possible November campaign to legalize medical marijuana. Ohioans for Medical Marijuana said Brandon Lynaugh will be the campaign manager. He worked on several previous statewide ballot issues, including the campaign last fall to defeat state Issue 3, which would …

Ohio lawmakers want medical marijuana legalized by summer

By JULIE CARR SMYTH AP Statehouse Correspondent COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Ohio lawmakers plan to legalize medical marijuana by summer in an effort they say is more responsible and comprehensive than any ballot proposal. It comes as a medical marijuana question is working its way to Ohio’s fall ballot. Republican House leaders set an aggressive timeline Wednesday for legalization legislation …

Ohio lawmakers to introduce comprehensive medical marijuana bill

COLUMBUS, Ohio — State lawmakers said Wednesday they will introduce a medical marijuana bill this week, but many of the details won’t be known until months after it has passed the General Assembly. Legislative leaders said at a Wednesday press conference they plan to fast-track the bill to Gov. John Kasich before they leave town in June, ahead of a …

DEA will decide whether to change course on marijuana by July

In a lengthy memo to lawmakers, the Drug Enforcement Administration said it hopes to decide whether to change the federal status of marijuana “in the first half of 2016.” Marijuana is currently listed under the Controlled Substances Act as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning that for the purposes of federal law, the drug has “no medical use and a high …

Ohio Medical Marijuana Amendment Petition Certified

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Attorney General’s Office on Thursday certified the petition for a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution that would legalize marijuana for medicinal and industrial use in Ohio. Once the summary language and initial signatures are certified, the Ohio Ballot Board must determine if the amendment contains a single issue or multiple issues. Read the rest …

Shaking Out the Differences in Ohio’s Two Medical Marijuana Ballot Proposals

Today, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine certified Grassroots Ohians’ petition summary, which laid out the group’s intended Medical Marijuana and Industrial Hemp amendment. With that, the state suddenly has two medical marijuana proposals in the works — each with the stated goal of landing on the November ballot. Read the full article here…

Ohio Medical Cannabis Campaign Cleared for Petition Circulation

The Marijuana Policy Project’s Ohio campaign to legalize medical cannabis has been cleared for signature gathering by the state ballot board. Now, the real work begins: The campaign must gather at least 305,591 valid signatures of registered voters from across the state by July 6 to make the 2016 November ballot. Read the rest of the article here…