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State should take its time in adopting marijuana

Ohio’s medicinal marijuana law took effect last week, but don’t bother trying to find any of the drug on sale in the Buckeye State. The rules for that have not yet been adopted.

State legislators and Gov. John Kasich rushed the measure into law earlier this year, for a good reason. They feared that if they did not, groups favoring legalization of marijuana would have their own much less desirable proposals on the ballot in November.

In acting on the new law, legislators were well aware they had failed to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s. That will be left up to a special Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee – members of which have not yet been named. In addition, the state Medical Board has not yet issued guidelines to physicians on prescribing marijuana for patients.

A variety of issues must be addressed before the active ingredient in marijuana can be sold in Ohio. Obtaining and smoking the plant itself will remain illegal.

Among questions not yet answered is precisely who will be permitted to use the drug. The law specifies those with Alzheimer’s, AIDS, cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder and pain can get prescriptions. But what type of pain? How severe? Who judges that?

In addition, distribution of the drug remains up in the air. How will be it sold and where?

Not everyone is sold on legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Many law enforcement officials worry it will add to the substance abuse epidemic in Ohio. And many question the drug’s efficacy.

Clearly, there is enormous potential for abuse of the new law. A mechanism for policing both prescribers and suppliers needs to be put in place.

State officials have until September 2018 to allow distribution of the drug. In view of the many issues involved – and the potential harm from getting regulation wrong – they should not rush to judgment on the matter, regardless of pressure to get marijuana to market.

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