Pubdate: Wed, 09 Apr 2014
Source: Times-Reporter (New Philadelphia, OH)
Copyright: 2014 The Copley Press Inc.
Contact:  http://www.timesreporter.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1188
Author: Heidi Sanders, Times-Reporter correspondent
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?197 (Marijuana - Medicinal - Ohio)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

ANTI-DRUG COALITION ADDRESSES THE MYTHS OF MARIJUANA USE

DOVER - The Anti-Drug Coalition of Tuscarawas County wants the
community to be informed about marijuana in light of a proposed ballot
initiative that would legalize medicinal use of the drug in Ohio.

About 15 people attended the coalition's The Blunt Truth About
Marijuana presentation at the Dover Public Library on Monday night.
The presentation addressed several common myths about the legalization
of marijuana.

The Ohio Right Group is collecting signatures to get the Ohio Cannabis
Rights Amendment on the November ballot. The group has until July 2 to
gather 385,000 signatures.

Medicinal marijuana use is legal in 20 states, including Colorado and
Washington where recreational use is also legal, and Washington D.C.

Jodi Salvo, coordinator of the coalition, said the proposed Ohio
amendment is vague and as it is written does not require a
prescription or any monitoring by a doctor.

"Our amendment is scary," she said. "What they are proposing is not
medicinal."

Salvo said she is concerned legalizing marijuana medicinally could
have a negative impact on children. Although the proposed amendment
states that users must be 18 or older, unless they have written
consent from their guardian, the drug will be more accessible to
children, she said.

"If you open that door, kids are going to use," she
said.

Salvo said many people think marijuana is harmless, but the drug can
affect brain development in adolescents.

"A heavy daily youth user can drop 6 to 8 point in IQ," she said.
"That is permanent IQ loss."

Salvo said not enough research has been done on the medical benefits
of marijuana.

"Just because it is natural does not mean it is OK or medicinal," she
said.

Christy McCaslin of Dover said she is in support of medical marijuana
legalization and attended the meeting to make sure people know that
there are benefits medicinal to using the drug.

She said she believes there are some medical conditions marijuana can
help alleviate that other drugs cannot.

McCaslin said the proposed initiative could do more to protect
children from the drug.

"It could be revised to where it is going to give a stricter attitude
towards it," she said.

For more information about the Anti-Drug Coalition, call 330-364-6488
or visitwww.adc-tusc.com.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D