Katelyn Baker
Well-Known Member
Columbus, Ohio - A committee that will make recommendations for the state's medical marijuana program will have its first meeting Tuesday, but advocates are already skeptical the group will take patients concerns to heart.
The Ohio Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee will meet at 10 a.m. Nov. 1 at the Vern Riffe Center in Columbus, the state pharmacy board announced Thursday. The committee won't hear testimony or public comment then, according to the meeting notice.
The 14-member panel doesn't include anyone who has worked with Ohio's marijuana reform organizations. Two spots were given to vocal opponents of medical marijuana legalization.
Nicole Scholten, a Cincinnati mother who urged lawmakers to pass the law in May, said the appointments are the latest development in the law's rollout to give patients pause.
"I don't see there's any other way to read it than a decision to silence the voice of the patient community, the very community this law is supposed to help," Scholten said.
But officials working on the program say there will be many opportunities for patients, caregivers and other interested parties to weigh in.
What will the committee do?
It's unclear how much of a say the committee will have in shaping Ohio's medical marijuana program.
The new Ohio law allows patients with about 20 medical conditions to buy and use medical marijuana if recommended by a doctor. But it left many of the details, including how to license growers and register patients, to three regulatory agencies to decide over the next year.
The advisory committee was set up to make recommendations about the program to the Department of Commerce, Ohio State Pharmacy Board and Ohio State Medical Board. Unlike a similar panel in Pennsylvania, the committee doesn't have to issue a report or complete any other tasks.
The committee won't likely take public comment at its meetings, said Cameron McNamee, policy and communications director for the pharmacy board. McNamee said the meetings will be when committee members can exchange ideas and thoughts.
Who's on the committee?
Gov. John Kasich and Republican and Democrat legislative leaders appointed the committee members: two pharmacists (one who supports medical marijuana), two physicians (one pro-medical marijuana), a nurse, a researcher and members representing each of the following interests: law enforcement, employers, labor, patients, caregivers, agriculture, mental health and drug and alcohol addiction treatment. The committee can't have more Republicans than Democrats, or vice versa.
Why are advocates concerned?
Kasich appointed Tony Coder to represent alcohol and drug addiction treatment, and House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger appointed Marcie Seidel to represent mental health treatment. Both work for the Drug-Free Action Alliance, a Columbus-based organization that opposed the medical marijuana law.
Coder told the Associated Press he and Seidel are primarily concerned with patient safety, as well as keeping Ohio's program from becoming an industry more concerned about profit than health.
The caregiver and patient representatives were unknown to many who have advocated for medical marijuana legalization. Melissa Durkee, a Hudson parent who hopes marijuana will help her son with Tourette Syndrome, said she's not confident committee members understand patient concerns about cost and access to the type of marijuana they need.
"They've got nothing behind them that would make me believe they have the knowledge or expertise to be able to direct the laws to be pro-medical marijuana," Durkee said.
Ted Bibart, a legal analyst chosen to represent patients, said he brings expertise about cannabis regulation -- what's worked and what hasn't in other states -- to a largely inexperienced panel. Bibart said he plans to continue meeting with patients and caregivers throughout the process.
"One of the real challenges with the patient advocate community is they tend to represent fractured interests and my goal in representing this constituency is to make sure they get the best medical marijuana law in the country and they have the most appropriately broad access to this medicine," Bibart said.
How can concerns be heard?
Rep. Kirk Schuring, a Canton Republican who worked on the law, disagreed with concerns patients and caregivers are being shut out of the process.
Schuring said the advisory committee won't actually write the rules. He recommended people work directly with the regulatory agencies, which have already started their work without the help of the advisory committee.
Schuring said the rules will go through a public review process and be analyzed by a bipartisan legislative committee. McNamee said the pharmacy board will release more information next week about how the public can be involved in the process.
"This is not something that's going to be done in the dark of the night and one day you wake up and rules are in place," Schuring said.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Ohio Medical Marijuana Advocates Left Off Advisory Panel; Officials Say Rules Process Will Be Transparent
Author: Jackie Borchardt
Contact: news@cleveland.com
Photo Credit: Jackie Borchardt
Website: cleveland.com
The Ohio Medical Marijuana Advisory Committee will meet at 10 a.m. Nov. 1 at the Vern Riffe Center in Columbus, the state pharmacy board announced Thursday. The committee won't hear testimony or public comment then, according to the meeting notice.
The 14-member panel doesn't include anyone who has worked with Ohio's marijuana reform organizations. Two spots were given to vocal opponents of medical marijuana legalization.
Nicole Scholten, a Cincinnati mother who urged lawmakers to pass the law in May, said the appointments are the latest development in the law's rollout to give patients pause.
"I don't see there's any other way to read it than a decision to silence the voice of the patient community, the very community this law is supposed to help," Scholten said.
But officials working on the program say there will be many opportunities for patients, caregivers and other interested parties to weigh in.
What will the committee do?
It's unclear how much of a say the committee will have in shaping Ohio's medical marijuana program.
The new Ohio law allows patients with about 20 medical conditions to buy and use medical marijuana if recommended by a doctor. But it left many of the details, including how to license growers and register patients, to three regulatory agencies to decide over the next year.
The advisory committee was set up to make recommendations about the program to the Department of Commerce, Ohio State Pharmacy Board and Ohio State Medical Board. Unlike a similar panel in Pennsylvania, the committee doesn't have to issue a report or complete any other tasks.
The committee won't likely take public comment at its meetings, said Cameron McNamee, policy and communications director for the pharmacy board. McNamee said the meetings will be when committee members can exchange ideas and thoughts.
Who's on the committee?
Gov. John Kasich and Republican and Democrat legislative leaders appointed the committee members: two pharmacists (one who supports medical marijuana), two physicians (one pro-medical marijuana), a nurse, a researcher and members representing each of the following interests: law enforcement, employers, labor, patients, caregivers, agriculture, mental health and drug and alcohol addiction treatment. The committee can't have more Republicans than Democrats, or vice versa.
Why are advocates concerned?
Kasich appointed Tony Coder to represent alcohol and drug addiction treatment, and House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger appointed Marcie Seidel to represent mental health treatment. Both work for the Drug-Free Action Alliance, a Columbus-based organization that opposed the medical marijuana law.
Coder told the Associated Press he and Seidel are primarily concerned with patient safety, as well as keeping Ohio's program from becoming an industry more concerned about profit than health.
The caregiver and patient representatives were unknown to many who have advocated for medical marijuana legalization. Melissa Durkee, a Hudson parent who hopes marijuana will help her son with Tourette Syndrome, said she's not confident committee members understand patient concerns about cost and access to the type of marijuana they need.
"They've got nothing behind them that would make me believe they have the knowledge or expertise to be able to direct the laws to be pro-medical marijuana," Durkee said.
Ted Bibart, a legal analyst chosen to represent patients, said he brings expertise about cannabis regulation -- what's worked and what hasn't in other states -- to a largely inexperienced panel. Bibart said he plans to continue meeting with patients and caregivers throughout the process.
"One of the real challenges with the patient advocate community is they tend to represent fractured interests and my goal in representing this constituency is to make sure they get the best medical marijuana law in the country and they have the most appropriately broad access to this medicine," Bibart said.
How can concerns be heard?
Rep. Kirk Schuring, a Canton Republican who worked on the law, disagreed with concerns patients and caregivers are being shut out of the process.
Schuring said the advisory committee won't actually write the rules. He recommended people work directly with the regulatory agencies, which have already started their work without the help of the advisory committee.
Schuring said the rules will go through a public review process and be analyzed by a bipartisan legislative committee. McNamee said the pharmacy board will release more information next week about how the public can be involved in the process.
"This is not something that's going to be done in the dark of the night and one day you wake up and rules are in place," Schuring said.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Ohio Medical Marijuana Advocates Left Off Advisory Panel; Officials Say Rules Process Will Be Transparent
Author: Jackie Borchardt
Contact: news@cleveland.com
Photo Credit: Jackie Borchardt
Website: cleveland.com
