Ohio legalizes medical cannabis

The Governor of Ohio, Republican John Kasich, has just approved the legalization of medical cannabis in his state. This brings to 26 the number of states that have legalized the medicinal use of cannabis.

Patients suffering from epileptic seizures, nausea or post-traumatic syndromes will be able to buy from dispensaries. People suffering from the side effects of cancer treatments will also be able to buy medicinal cannabis to soothe their ailments.

While the people of Ohio had rejected full legalization last year of cannabis in their state, the former White House candidate and governor of the state is passing a first step without consulting his citizens.

John Kasich says it is acting on the advice of doctors and wants to introduce the system quickly. In fact, the state authorities have set themselves a deadline of 3 months to implement the measure. Opponents and some journalists are astonished by this panic, arguing that more time is needed to establish the rules around cannabis.

In fact, in 3 months, Ohio's cannabis market won't be ready. Doctors will have the right to prescribe medical cannabis to their patients. Patients will have to wait for the first growshops to open in the state. For the time being, all patients will have to obtain their supplies via the border states of Pennsylvania and Michigan. The most optimistic estimates put the arrival of cannabis in the state at the end of 2017 or early 2018.

The Department of Commerce, in collaboration with the Department of Health, will distribute licenses to future growshoppers. All players in the sector, such as laboratories and growers, will have to be located at least 150 meters from schools, churches and parks.

There are still a number of ambiguities surrounding this law. For example, smoking weed will remain totally illegal, so the substance will have to be ingested in some other way. A worker could lose his job if tested positive for cannabis, even if he has a medical prescription. What's more, they won't receive any severance pay.

Théo Caillart