4 Ohio GOP officials support medical pot

February 12, 2016 at 12:07a.m.

COLUMBUS

Four of Ohio’s Republican statewide officeholders appear to be on the same page when it comes to the legalization of medical marijuana.

During a daylong legislative preview in Columbus on Thursday, coordinated by the Ohio Associated Press, Attorney General Mike DeWine, Auditor Dave Yost, Treasurer Josh Mandel and Secretary of State Jon Husted mostly were supportive of limited legalization for medical purposes, so long as related rules and regulations are narrowly crafted to ensure the drug is used by ill Ohioans and not for recreational purposes.

Yost made it clear that “recreational” was not an accurate descriptor.

“Recreation is something wholesome,” he said. “Recreation is hiking and boating and playing softball. What we’re talking about here on the other side of this from the medical [use of marijuana is for] party purposes and legalizing for the purpose of getting stoned.”

DeWine said his office compiled and forwarded to lawmakers information on medical marijuana laws in other states, for use as the legislature considers changes to Ohio Revised Code. DeWine also noted that clinical trials on marijuana already are under way.

“It’s possible that within the next six months, seven months, those trials will be completed and there will be some attempt by the drug company involved to go to the FDC and go through the normal process. That’s how we normally get medical anything,” DeWine said.

Mandel said the “devil will be in the details” on any medical marijuana proposals offered by the Legislature or outside groups. That includes definitions of what constitutes “medical” usage.

“One of the forks in the road is whether or not the Legislature or these groups decide to define it as for dealing with pain,” he said. “I think pain can be described more broadly and can be interpreted in different ways. It can be drawn narrowly to just focus on certain diseases ... In some states, doctors have the broad leeway to prescribe it for pain ...”

Husted said lawmakers should work with law enforcement and medical communities to develop the right approach to medical marijuana, providing access “to people who are truly in need.”

Husted said there are five pending marijuana-related ballot issues, with more expected.

“It will be back in some form or the other,” he said. “I don’t want to see in any way a proposal that comes via the ballot initiative that leverages the popularity of medical marijuana ... [that] allows for the use of recreational marijuana ...”

Yost said he opposes adding marijuana legalizations to the state constitution.

“I am way, way, way against putting this in the constitution,” he said. “We’ve got too much crap in the constitution now. In my opinion, we ought to start over, take all but about 15 pages of it and throw it out and get back to a basic governing document that means something rather than this hodgepodge grocery list of special interests. Let’s not add marijuana to it.”

Asked whether they had ever used the drug, Mandel and DeWine said, “No.”

Husted admitted use, back in 1989. Yost also acknowledged use, in the late 1970s.