Ohio state lawmakers are currently considering a proposal to make medical cannabis available for patients whose conditions “may reasonably be expected to be relieved from medical marijuana,” according to a Cleveland.com report.
The state currently allows medical cannabis as a treatment for 25 conditions including AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy or another seizure disorder, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, and others. But despite patient frustrations, the Ohio State Medical Board has repeatedly rejected petitions to add certain other conditions including autism spectrum disorder.
Meanwhile, advocates with the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol are positioned to put an adult-use cannabis legalization proposal before Ohio voters during the November 2023 election.
Following a successful signature-gathering drive by the group, state lawmakers will be forced to consider the advocates’ legalization proposal early next year. If they fail to adopt the reforms — which is the expected outcome — advocates will get four weeks to gather additional signatures to put the issue to voters during the next November election.
Cleveland.com, citing the group’s campaign finance report filed in July, said the campaign has raised $212,500 this year with $150,000 coming from the Marijuana Policy Project cannabis advocacy organization and the remaining funds being donated by several Ohio-based medical cannabis operators. Last year, advocates fundraised $1.3 million towards the effort, according to the report.
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