Ohio medical marijuana bill blocked by committee chairman; urge Senate committee to hold hearing by writing chairman and attending rally

Published: January 18, 2006

Last year, despite the efforts of activists from around the state, Sen. Robert Hagan’s (D-33rd) medical marijuana bill, S.B. 74, was blocked from a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee by Chairman Jim Jordan (R-12th). The legislative session ended with the committee failing to take action. As the legislature convenes this week for the 2006 legislative session, MPP is determined that this year will bring different results.

The legislature’s indifference to seriously ill patients in Ohio is unacceptable. We need you to speak out for patients today and demand that the committee takes action this year.

Please take action today by urging Sen. Jordan and the other committee members to hold a hearing on this bill. This link will take you to letters that our automated system will send to the senators for you. The whole process only takes three minutes. State legislators truly do listen to their constituents. By expressing your disappointment with the legislature’s inaction in the face of overwhelming scientific and popular support for medical marijuana, you can help move this important issue forward.

After you have e-mailed the senators, follow up by calling the committee members. You can reach them at:

Sen. Jim Jordan (chairman) — 614-466-7584 Sen. Mark Dann (D-32nd) (ranking minority member) — 614-466-7182 Sen. Patricia Clancy (R-8th) (vice chair) — 614-466-8068 Sen. Steve Austria (R-10th) — 614-466-3780 Sen. Eric Kearney (D-9th) — 614-466-5980 Sen. Steve Stivers (R-16th) — 614-466-5981 Sen. Timothy Grendell (R-18th) — 614-466-7718 Sen. Kimberly Zurz (D-28th) — 614-466-7041 Sen. J. Kirk Schuring (D-29th) — 614-466-0626

You can also make a difference by attending a rally organized by the Ohio Patients Network (OPN) in front of the statehouse this Wednesday, January 18, at 2:00 p.m. By uniting with other supporters of medical marijuana legislation and the patients who so desperately need reform, we can make Ohio the 12th state to enact sensible marijuana policy.

Please contact the senators and attend the rally on Wednesday. Hagan’s courageous bill would protect patients who use medical marijuana from arrest and prison. It is time for Ohio to join the 11 sensible, compassionate states that have already enacted medical marijuana legislation. Polls consistently show massive public support for this issue. Clearly, supporting medical marijuana is not only an act of compassion; it is also a popular political move.

Please take action today.

If you would like more information or would like to find out how you can get involved, please contact Jonas Singer at JSinger@mpp.org or 202-462-5747 ext. 125.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please pass this message on to your friends and family around the state so that even more voices for reform can be heard.