Ohio Bill to Expand Access to Medical Cannabis

A Republican lawmaker in Ohio wants to add to the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in the state.

Steve Huffman, a Buckeye state senator, tabled a bill Tuesday that his office said would “make significant improvements to Ohio’s medical marijuana program.”

The bill, Senate Act 261, would “expand the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana to include: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Arthritis, Migraines, Terminal Diseases, and Treatment of Other Conditions Established by a Licensed Physician,” it said in the press release from Huffman’s office.

Ohio’s current medical cannabis law allows doctors to recommend medical marijuana to patients with the following qualifying conditions: AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, cachexia, cancer, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy or any other seizure disorder, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, hepatitis , Huntington’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic and severe or persistent pain, Parkinson’s disease, positive HIV status, post-traumatic stress disorder, sickle cell anemia, spasticity, spinal cord disease or injury, incurable disease, Tourette’s syndrome, skull and brain Trauma and ulcerative colitis.

In addition, Huffman’s bill would “allow the processing and dispensing of medical marijuana in additional forms so that a patient can be treated by a variety of methods” and would provide primary oversight of the medical marijuana control program to the Department of Commerce “in an attempt to end the process for companies to streamline. “

Ohio Regulation and Access

Ohio’s medical marijuana control program is currently regulated by both the Board of Pharmacy and the Department of Commerce. It was first enacted by House Bill 523. Although it went into effect on September 8, 2016, the state did not open licensed issuing offices until January 16, 2019.

The legislation “also expands the options for Tier I and II growers and allows additional retail pharmacies to open based on patient needs and market demand,” and includes “an equity study that examines how the state is expanding and expanding the medical marijuana program can improve. ”

As a practicing physician for the state who pioneered the Ohio Medical Marijuana Act in 2016, Huffman hopes that “this business-friendly bill will create better patient access at a lower cost.”

“As a doctor and state senator, I am committed to people’s quality of life,” Huffman said in the press release. “The provisions in this bill are about improving treatment options for patients.”

Huffman’s reform efforts come at a time when other activists and lawmakers in Buckeye State have shifted their attention to full legalization. In September, Ohio regulators signed plans for a group to circulate petitions to bring a legalization proposal to state lawmakers.

After the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA) received the green light from the state’s electoral board, it began its efforts to collect around 133,000 signatures.

If the group is successful, the proposal goes to the legislature. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, if the legislature does not or does not pass an amended version of the bill, supporters will be able to collect an additional 132,887 signatures, likely to bring the proposal to the electorate in November 2022. “

In addition, Republican lawmakers tabled bill in the Ohio House of Representatives last month that would allow adults 21 and older to buy, own, and grow marijuana. The bill, according to Spectrum News, would “impose a 10 percent sales tax on marijuana, with the money being used to fight drug addiction and illicit drug trafficking,” and “Include Ohioans jailed for cannabis crimes to see their files.” . turned off.”

There were also significant changes to the state’s medical marijuana law. Last month, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy voted to more than double the number of medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.