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

Hamilton lawmaker’s bill wouldallow medication derived from marijuana

ByVivienne Mach and Michael D. Pitman

Staff Writer

    A local state lawmaker is the primarysponsor for a proposed bill that would allow a specific strain of medicalmarijuana to be used by Ohiohospitals to develop treatments for seizures.

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

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

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

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

    Retherford said he still opposes legalizingmarijuana for recreational purposes and the commercial sale of medicalmarijuana, as proposed by severallegalization advocates. Onesuch group, Responsible Ohio, has proposed a constitutional amendment thatwould name just 10 sites for growing marijuana.

    “I especially disagree with not only theconcept of medical marijuana (sales), but (proposed legislation by) ResponsibleOhio 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 saleswithin its bounds. Retherfordsaid that such legislation was “completely within the city’s prerogatives” anddid not see it conflicting with his proposed legislation.

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