The medical marijuana issue may soon be on the ballot in Ohio. Cleveland billionaire Peter Lewis is helping to fund the organization efforts, but the true power behind the initiative comes from grassroots groups around the Buckeye State. Decriminalizing medical marijuana is not even strictly opposed by the Drug-Free Action Alliance. According to action alliance representative Marcie Seidel, a vote on a medical issue is a bad idea, antibiotics are not placed on the ballot. She feels medical marijuana use should be researched like any other prescription medication.
What Ohioans are saying about the medical marijuana issue:
"Marijuana is no more harmful to a person if used responsibly than alcohol or prescription pain killers. More people are harmed by trans fats and caffeine intake than medical marijuana." -- Tom Clausen, Athens, retail manager
"I really do not seem the harm in allowing regulated use of marijuana, for patients or adults in general. I have no need for marijuana or even alcohol, but other adults should be able to make that choice for themselves. Driving or working on drugs would still be illegal, so there is no harm there for Ohioans either." -- Susan Greer, retired teacher, Kingston
"Why has it taken this long to get a marijuana issue on the ballot? Seriously. I can drink a fifth of whiskey a day if I want, but my neighbor who has chronic back pain after a car accident which where she was hit by a drunk driver can't use medical marijuana to ease her pain. Do lawmakers really think prescription drugs are any less addictive?" -- Stephen Nettle, public employee, Logan
"Making marijuana more accessible scares me. I hate to think of more young people getting hooked on drugs or alcohol. But, just like with guns, if someone wants to buy it, they will find a way. As long as the use is monitored and regulated it would probably be alright, just not sure if I can vote yes or not." -- Eileen Hanson, homemaker, Nelsonville
"Marijuana should be legalized for adults. The court and prison system would be a lot better of both financially and from overcrowding. Everyone in Ohio knows how much marijuana is already grown here, especially in Meigs County. The jobs and tax revenue regulated marijuana cultivating and sale would create would also be a benefit to Ohio." -- Mike Laughlin, small business owner, Rockbridge
"Marijuana is a drug, pure and simple. I don't care that is grows naturally or is not any worse than alcohol. Beer and whiskey are bad enough, we don't need to be tossing marijuana into our kids hands." -- Matthew Conley, retired teacher, Reynoldsburg
"Making marijuana illegal does nothing to deter kids from buying or smoking it right now. Marijuana is not anymore of a gateway drug than alcohol. Personal responsibility has to come into play in all areas of our life. There is no law stating that fat kids can't have ice cream or a limit placed on the amount of thick juicy steaks we can eat, so why does the government keep trying to protect us from ourselves in some areas, but not others?" -- Brittany Morris, Athens, college student
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