Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Program Will Likely Expand to $11 Million

The Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program was allotted $5 million last month in the state budget, and today the Ohio Department of Commerce and State Board of Pharmacy intend on requesting $5.6 million more.
The nearly $11 million total, Ohio regulators say, is necessary to cover a medical marijuana tracking database, a toll-free help line and legal costs expected to stem from issues about Ohio’s licensing laws.
Currently, Ohio legally lets people with medical conditions such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, Crohn’s disease and 18 others purchase and use marijuana, if advised by a physician (many of whom are not keen on getting licenses that allow them to prescribe the drug.)
Ohio legalized medical marijuana last year, making it the 28th state to do so. In a speech back in May, Ohio Supreme Court Justice (and likely 2018 candidate for governor) William O’Neill endorsed marijuana legalization in the state, as well as the removal of “all non-violent marijuana offenders” from prison.
“The time has come for new thinking,” O’Neill said in a speech. “We regulate and tax alcohol and tobacco and imprison people for smoking grass.”
Since the legislation is relatively new, the state is still figuring out how it can be fully implemented.…

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