Ohio legislature begins exploring medical marijuana

The newly formed House Medicinal Marijuana Task Force met briefly for the first time this week (Source: “Medical marijuana panelists promise to keep open minds,” Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 29, 2016)

The 15-member panel will start taking testimony from the public at its hearing on Feb. 11. Testimony generally will be taken in the order that people contact Rep. Kirk Schuring’s office. The Canton Republican is heading the group and stressed that he is not approaching it with any preconceived notions about medical marijuana or what the committee will recommend in a report to be released likely at the end of March.

Two other lawmakers also sit on the panel. Rep. Dan Ramos, D-Lorain, said he is generally in favor of legalizing medical marijuana because it sounds like there can be some positive uses for it. Rep. Stephen Huffman, R-Tipp City, a practicing physician for 20 years, said he’s looking at evidence-based medicine, and there are a number of marijuana-derived products being used in Europe to treat seizures and multiple sclerosis and being tested at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

The first meeting Thursday essentially gave members a chance to introduce themselves and make brief comments. The group includes medical, business, pro-marijuana and law enforcement representatives.

The Senate is conducting its own, separate look into the medical marijuana issue. Sens. Dave Burke, R-Marysville, and Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights, are leading a listening tour that will start Saturday in Cleveland, to be followed in February by meetings in Cincinnati and Toledo.

Burke, a pharmacist, has said he is skeptical of the need to legalize medical marijuana, while Yuko has advocated it for more than a decade.