Medical Marijuana Bill Passes House, Ready for Kasich's Signature

The medical marijuana bill aka House Bill 523, will now become law as long as Governor John Kasich puts his signature on it. After the Senate voted 18-15 Wednesday afternoon to pass the bill, the House followed suit late Wednesday night by voting to pass the bill 67-28.

Lawmakers have fast-tracked H.B. 523 in an effort to prevent the issue from appearing on the ballot this coming November.

Ohioans for Medical Marijuana feel that the bill is a step in the right direction, however, they disagree with the proposed bill in the following ways:

• • The qualifying conditions list in H.B. 523 is still too limited. The amendment proposed by Ohioans for Medical Marijuana also includes such conditions as muscular dystrophy, autism with aggressive or self-injurious behavior, Huntington’s disease, cachexia or wasting syndrome and severe and persistent muscle spasms.
  • H.B. 523 prohibits qualifying patients from being able to smoke medical marijuana, regardless of whether their physician approves or not.
  • Qualified patients and their caregivers are not allowed to grow small amounts of medical marijuana on their own under H.B. 523.
  • H.B. 523 continues to delegate too much legislative authority to boards and commissions to decide critical regulatory and licensing issues.

Ohioans for Medical Marijuana say they will continue to move forward with plans to get the issue on the November ballot.

[Photo credit: Shutterstock]