Posted: 3:08 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015

Hamilton lawmaker’s bill would allow medication derived from marijuana

By Vivienne Mach and Michael D. Pitman

Staff Writer

    A local state lawmaker is the primary sponsor for a proposed bill that would allow a specific strain of medical marijuana to be used by Ohio hospitals to develop treatments for seizures.

    Ohio Rep. Wes Retherford (R-Hamilton) and Rep. John M. Rogers (D-Mentor-On-The-Lake) are the primary sponsors of House Bill 33, which would allow Ohio physicians to prescribe a specific oil infused with cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive chemical in cannabis; and low in tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the chemical that produces a high in users. Seizure patients could then legally possess this extract and participate in clinical trials.

    Through this legislation the drug would be available to doctors at University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, and University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital.

     Retherford said that while he is still opposed to full marijuana legislation, he supports this bill because it would restrict the use of the chemical to university and children’s hospitals in Ohio for the purpose of research and treatment of seizures.

    “It’s restricted to cannabidiol, which is a non-psychoactive, non-addictive derivative of the cannabis plant,” Retherford said. “The research and studies I’ve talked with people about show there is potential with cannabidiol for making life better for people who suffer from debilitating diseases such as epilepsy.”

    Retherford said he still opposes legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes and the commercial sale of medical marijuana, as proposed by several legalization advocates. One such group, Responsible Ohio, has proposed a constitutional amendment that would name just 10 sites for growing marijuana.

    “I especially disagree with not only the concept of medical marijuana (sales), but (proposed legislation by) Responsible Ohio also establishes a constitutional monopoly, which I am also opposed to,” Retherford said.

    Retherford represents the city of Hamilton in Butler County, which recently proposed an ordinance change that would ban medical marijuana sales within its bounds. Retherford said that such legislation was “completely within the city’s prerogatives” and did not see it conflicting with his proposed legislation.

     “None of the university and children’s hospitals impacted are within the city limits, so it wouldn’t impact my bill,” he said.