Ohio leaders focus on medical marijuana as pot plan pulled

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio House leaders announced plans Thursday for a comprehensive review of medical marijuana, while disclosing that backers of an effort to purge old pot-related convictions are withdrawing their proposal from legislative consideration.

State lawmakers have been weighing how to address medical marijuana after Ohio voters overwhelmingly rejected a ballot initiative in November that sought to legalize pot for medical and recreational use. The measure, Issue 3, would have established 10 sites with exclusive authority to grow marijuana, and with profits going to the issue’s deep-pocketed investors.

While the ballot initiative faced resounding defeat, polls suggested Ohioans support medical marijuana.

Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger told reporters Thursday that debate over the initiative prompted interest in medical marijuana. He said it was with that in mind that he was convening a task force of members from the Ohio House, business organizations, law enforcement and medical associations to review the issue.

“Our goal is to start the discussion, which will provide more information, facts, perspectives to the debate in order to guide our future actions and policies towards a measured approach on medical marijuana,” Rosenberger, a Clarkesville Republican, said at a Statehouse news conference.

Task force members include former Ohio Attorney General Betty Montgomery and Muskingum County Sheriff Matt Lutz, along with representatives of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association. It also includes Jimmy Gould, a key supporter of the ResponsibleOhio campaign that brought Issue 3 to the ballot.

Gould told reporters he remained focused on legalization.

“I’m going to do everything on this task force to try to make that happen,” Gould said. “I’m also going to listen. I’m going to try to figure out what are the best ways for us to proceed. And that’s why I agreed to join.”

It’s uncertain what results the task force could produce. Still, Rosenberger sought to make one thing clear. “This is not a task force that we’re establishing to be a stall tactic,” he said.

Rosenberger has asked the group to finish their work by the end of March or, if needed, by early April.

Separately, the Senate was eyeing its own approach. A bipartisan pair of state senators plans to hold a series of town-hall meetings around Ohio to gather views from residents on the topic.

Rosenberger named state Rep. Kirk Schuring, a Canton Republican, as the task force’s chairman.

Schuring told reporters it was “premature” to say if the group would rule on whether Ohio should legalize medical marijuana. He also said he did not know whether the task force would issue a report or make a recommendation on any legislation.

Schuring said he would try to find common ground from divergent points of view but added: “It’s too early to say what that might be and if that will happen.”

Meanwhile, supporters of a marijuana-related proposal have told legislative leaders they want to withdraw the measure from the General Assembly’s consideration.

The Fresh Start Act had called for reviewing sentences and expunging criminal records for people with previous marijuana convictions if their actions would no longer be considered illegal. The ResponsibleOhio campaign had gathered signatures to get the proposal before lawmakers.

In a Monday letter released by Rosenberger’s office, ResponsibleOhio’s attorney said his clients wanted the proposed law dropped from consideration and they don’t intend to try to get the measure before voters.

Gould told reporters that the expungement proposal was based on Issue 3 passing.

“The voters knew that,” he said. “They knew exactly what they were doing when they voted the way they voted.”

By ANN SANNER
Associated Press