Senator Roberts introduces legislation to legalize medical marijuana

Senator Tom Roberts, D-Trotwood, is sponsoring the Ohio Medical Compassion Act (Source: "State senator seeks to legalize medical marijuana in Ohio," The Western Star, May 20, 2008).  This Act seeks to create state regulated system of care that would allow people to legally smoke marijuana to ease their pain.

Twelve other states have decriminalized the penalties for the medical use of marijuana (Alaska; California; Colorado; Hawaii; Maine; Montana; Nevada; New Mexico; Oregon; Vermont; Rhode Island and Washington).

Under Senator Roberts' legislation, the Ohio Departments of Health and Agriculture would establish and oversee an advisory board to:

• Consider granting medicinal use of cannabis in cases of debilitated medical conditions.

• Consider applications for and renewals of registry identification cards for qualified patients and primary caregivers.

• Provide recommendations for the safe use and efficient growing of medicinal cannabis.

According to Senator Roberts,  "Our laws should reflect the latest in medical research, which has shown that medical cannabis has a variety of benefits for treating pain, nausea and other symptoms related to a wide range of disease."