© 2024 Ideastream Public Media

1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 916-6100 | (877) 399-3307

WKSU is a public media service licensed to Kent State University and operated by Ideastream Public Media.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
News
To contact us with news tips, story ideas or other related information, e-mail newsstaff@ideastream.org.

Patients Picking Sides In Medical Marijuana Efforts

Dana Kovach, mom of ill child, says she now supports Ohioans for Medical Marijuana (Jo Ingles / Statehouse Bureau)

Patients who want medical marijuana in Ohio are starting to take sides in which plans they support. Statehouse reporter Jo Ingles has details.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Dana Kovach was at the Statehouse when leaders of a legislative task force announced their medical marijuana bill.

“I was so excited. I even told the press, “it’s like Christmas for my family.” And then I read it.”

Kovach says the bill was too vague, too restrictive to help her seriously ill son. She’s now supporting Ohioans for Medical Marijuana, one of two groups trying to put a constitutional amendment on the fall ballot.

Joe Brimfield of Athens County is supporting a different group’s potential issue, and says the one Kovach supports reminds him of the one that voters rejected last fall. 

“In my eyes, this is Responsible Ohio 2.0:”

Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger says patients who don’t like the legislative med pot bill should let lawmakers know.

“We’re all ears.”

Kovach says she’s done that. She and Brimfield say they are moving ahead with supporting their respective medical marijuana ballot issues.