We would like ask to you, medical marijuana patients of Ohio, to tell your state representative to support Ohio medical marijuana legislation. Last year we at OPN managed to introduce SB343 The Medical Compassionate Act into the Ohio state legislature in the last session. This was the culmination of all your input, advice, and incorporating the best aspects of other medical marijuana that has been implemented in other states. Now it is up to you to get the bill reintroduced in the new session that just started on January 5th 2009.
The first significant advantage of the bill we introduced was that it protected Patients who choose to work by protecting them from discrimination for their choice of medicine. The second significant advantage is that it allows for the transfer of medication between and among Patients and caregivers. We have learned from what other states have done, and the consequences of their choice of wording. This is a very carefully crafted bill with every word carefully chosen to advance our chances of passage.
We urge you to read it and become very familiar with what it says and does not say. To secure passage, we will need you to become active to the best of your ability. We urge all of you to take OPN Speakers course. We all need to be on the same page and singing the same song when talking to others. With a concerted effort by all of us, we can get this passed into law.
We have contacted other states in the writing of this bill, The truly hard job comes once the bill is re-introduced to the Legislature in 2009. Other states have only been successful when the Patients themselves put on a ‘full court press’ with their own representatives, as well as local groups, their friends and neighbors.
We are planning to make some videos of a few Patients telling their story. These will be used in support of the bill. Every one of you knows someone who can be educated on this bill, and then talk to others who can be educated on this bill. Our Politicians need to hear from their constituents favoring the passage of this bill. Once our Politicians understand that voting YES on this will help them, they will do so. Right now, they have not heard much from those in their district who favor such legislation. We have to change that. Each of us needs to make contact with your representatives, and urge others to also contact them. We cannot stress this enough….it is going to take everyone doing their utmost to get this passed.
Please write Letters to the Editor in support of this bill. Get educated on the bill, the issue, and Ohio’s place in the overall framework of Medical Marijuana Legislation.
