Senators O’Brien, Eklund introduce bill

COLUMBUS

State Sens. Sean O’Brien of Bazetta, D-32nd, and John Eklund of Geauga County, R-18th, introduced a draft of their bill Wednesday to revise Ohio’s drug-sentencing laws.

“After years of the failed ‘war on drugs,’ we know now that our current approach is not effective,” O’Brien said. “This reform will help us keep people struggling with addiction out of jail while punishing drug dealers.”

The bill creates new, harsher penalties for drug trafficking while reducing penalties for the possession of small amounts of drugs and prioritizing treatment for offenders.

In coming weeks, the bill will receive hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee.