10,000+ Jobs After Passage. In Ohio

[cristinew]

Wish the State Of Michigan had brains. Send this to your rep.

 

The Ohio Medical Cannabis Amendment of 2012 is a proposed citizen-initiated amendment to the Ohio Constitution, slated for the ballot in the fall of 2012. The language for the OMCA2012 is focused on eight rights based in the long standing Bill of Rights within the Ohio Constitution. The amendment also establishes an Ohio Commission of Cannabis Control to support, uphold and defend these rights, and to regulate medical cannabis in Ohio.

 

Why Rights?

The authors of the Bill of Rights, both in the Ohio Constitution and in the Constitution of the United States, recognized that inalienable rights like life, liberty and happiness belong to the people. Often, little thought is given to medical cannabis (marijuana) until friends, family or loved ones become among the sick, dying or disabled. Ballot initiatives in other states have created specific systems for the disbursement and regulation of cannabis, but do not make a clear statement of their state’s citizens right to access, utilize, and provide medical marijuana. This leads to loopholes that state legislatures utilize to undermine the spirit of their amendment and the will of their citizens. By clearly stating the rights of patients and providers, any citizen can challenge undue interference from state governmental bodies in order to preserve and defend the right to access medical marijuana.

 

What Other Rights are Being Ensured and Protected?

Even though DEA Administrative Law Judge Francis Young concluded in 1988 that, “Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man,” the plant remains off limits for medical use in the United States because of its placement in the most restrictive Schedule I. With such placement and in the name of a “drug war,” numerous sanctions have been crafted by legislatures, bureaucracies and corporations across the country to curtail the use of medical cannabis. These include denial of employment, child custody, public housing, student loans, federal licenses, weapons permits, organ transplants and more. In California, the Department of Justice has threatened the landlords of medical cannabis dispensaries with asset forfeiture,[2] and the IRS has denied them standard business deductions at a cost of millions.[3] Rhode Island’s governor was warned that state workers in medical cannabis agencies could face civil and criminal prosecution.[4] Bank accounts of those who serve the cannabis industry in Colorado have been closed.[5] One U.S. Attorney went so far as to target newspaper and magazine advertising.[6] Medical cannabis patients carry the burden of these sanctions and rights violations in addition to possible arrest, prosecution and incarceration for their use of this “safest therapeutically active” substance.

 

The OMCA2012 and accompanying Cannabis Commission are designed specifically to help prevent these abuses on a state level and ensure patients live their lives freely and without discrimination.

 

What Urgency is Driving the OMCA2012?

Opponents of medical cannabis often cite other FDA-approved medications that could be used as substitutes. Unfortunately, many of these drugs have proven to be harmful or even deadly. For example, in 2009, drug induced deaths principally from opiates exceeded deaths from motor vehicle accidents for the first time since such tracking began.[8] Further, there is an epidemic of death and serious patient outcomes reflected in the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System, with such outcomes up by over 75% in just the last five years.[9] Over 200 medicines contain the FDA’s strongest “black box” warning, and a record number of drugs have been recalled from the market.[10] Over the course of human history, there has never been a documented death from an overdose of medical cannabis.[11] Ohioans have the right to a life of medicinal safety.

 

What is the Vision for Medical Cannabis in Ohio?

A bold new idea for regulating cannabis in Ohio took shape about a year ago with concepts like an Ohio Commission of Cannabis Control, medical cannabis retail establishments, infused product manufacturers and a permitting and licensing system based on existing liquor regulations. Forecasts for this new Ohio industry place its sales within five years at $845 million. Written as an amendment to the Ohio constitution, but looking more like a legislative bill, the measure failed certification by the Ohio Attorney General largely due to its length. However, in doing so gained significant media coverage and introduced an example of a taxed and regulated system of medical cannabis control to Ohio voters and legislators.

 

What is the Strategy of the OMCA2012?

The presidential election in 2012 will be a high stakes game and Ohio will be a swing state. The media will roost here as it does in most national elections. Ohio in 2012 will be an echo chamber for numerous policies and medical cannabis should be among them. The OMCA2012 only needs 50.01% of the vote to make the medical use of cannabis a civil right in Ohio. Like other states, medical marijuana in Ohio polls at +70%.[12] The OMCA2012 campaign will likely cost millions, opening up many jobs before its passage, as well as an estimated 10,000+ jobs after passage.

 

What about the legislative route?

Whether in Ohio or Washington, DC, legislatures seem unable to pass medical cannabis legislation. Within the last ten years, four bills have been considered in Ohio, with the first among them floated in 2003-04. It wasn't until February 2005 that SB 74 was introduced by then Senator Robert Hagan (D-Youngstown). SB 74 received a sponsor testimony hearing in November 2006, but went no further. SB 343 was introduced into the Ohio Senate in May 2008 by then Senator Tom Roberts (D-Dayton); it received both sponsor and proponent testimony hearings in November 2008, but went no further. In April 2010, HB 478 was introduced into the Ohio House by Rep. Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights); it was referred to the Health and Aging Committee, but went no further. Representative Yuko introduced HB 214 into the Ohio House in April 2011; it has been referred to the Health and Aging Committee, with no further action. When state legislatures refuse to act, the ballot initiative process becomes key in asserting the will of the people.

 

Who is the OMCA2012?

The OMCA2012 is a non-partisan organization of citizens from all walks of life and all types of professions who support the right of sick, dying and disabled patients to utilize medial cannabis to alleviate their suffering. The OMCA2012 brings new energy to the medical cannabis movement while tapping the wisdom of Ohio’s reform veterans. The new faces include an Ohio CEO who graduated from Case Western's Weatherhead School of Management, an HIV+ member of the LGBT community and a mother of five. Among our experienced activists are a renowned attorney with a specialty in constitutional law, the founder of the first ever hemp products manufacturing company and an internationally recognized expert in drug policy. The resumes of the many other OMCA2012 co-authors add measurably to this strong base.

 

Medical cannabis this year is unlike last year; who knows what it will look like during the presidential election, less than one year away. One constant holds true: so goes Ohio, so goes the nation. Ohio as a highly publicized swing state in a presidential election year with the rights based OMCA2012 medical cannabis initiative on the ballot defines a bold concept, a bold move and a win-win-win for patients, medical care and the State of Ohio.

 

Patients First!

[ilynnboy]

Love the rights idea.

Rights are harder to trample than an act.

Probably going to move there. In late 2012 so I am crossing my fingers.

My brother in law recently got pulled over with an eighth. Cop asked him if he was holding anything. To which he replied yes and pulled out the bag, cop looked at it, gave it back and said have a good day. No ticket No jail No hassle.

He says he can have a lot of pot and it is only a ticket. No jail time. Can't wait to leave my lovely home so as to not worry about being arrested for a plant.

Like Chrissy Hynde sang " Way to go Ohio".

[Timmahh]

if they pass i hate to say it, but i can watch the wings from the buckeye state.

 

Atleast if we cant beat sence into our own legislative branch, a move to ohio wont be that far amove.

[ilynnboy]

if they pass i hate to say it, but i can watch the wings from the buckeye state.

 

Atleast if we cant beat sence into our own legislative branch, a move to ohio wont be that far amove.

Timmah,

I lived in Toledo for 8 years. Nice place nice people and to boot a lower cost of living, all in all a nice place to live.

Wish I had never moved back to the mitten.

My $250,000 house is now worth somewhere along the lines of $175,000 maybe $180,000.

My wife didn't want to commute to her new job, so here I am until I get sick of paying for an underwater mortgage and walk away.

[Herb Cannabis]

Looks like I may have to flee Michigan to Ohio, it would seem that Ohio is somewhat more compassionate than our great state. This is a F'ing shame, I love Michigan with all my heart, I was born here (Greenville, 1957).

 

NO, I stay and fight the tyrants, I will volonteer for the petition drive, I've already sent a ton of emails to our politicians with the help of email-o-matic and warriors like bb, washtenaut and so many more. Thanks to all of you for all that you do. HC