Several advocacy groups in Ohio are vying for the protection of medical marijuana users over those who want to use it recreationally. Advocacy group Responsible Ohio has proposed constitutional amendments that would put patients who need marijuana for medicinal purposes before recreational users. The propositions made by Responsible Ohio have been considered the strongest in contention, outlining the establishment of 10 cannabis farms state-wide which would supply medical and retail dispensaries, as well as an additional provision licensing potential homegrowers for their own personal use. Medical marijuana, under the amendment, will be prescribed by doctors and regulated similar to other medical prescriptions. Furthermore, minors will be allowed to use the medicine with the permission of their guardians.
Another advocacy group, Ohio Patients CANN, has their concerns about Responsible Ohio’s proposed amendment. According to the group’s executive director, the most medically effective plants, “are very slow-growing, low-yield plants that take a lot of space. The concern we have is that the people crafting the amendment don't know this. It's not going to be profitable to grow these plants. It'll be more profitable to grow recreational strains, which will leave the patient out.” A third group, Ohio Rights Group, is pushing for a different amendment that would allow for safe access to medical marijuana to patients so that they will not be arrested or prosecuted when using the drug.
Though all three groups seem to be campaigning for the same cause —protection for medical cannabis users — it will be a toss up as to whose amendment, if any, get passed.
