The Ohio Ballot Board – as well as Ohio’s attorney general – has given final approval to an initiative drive aimed at legalizing medical marijuana, as well as hemp. The initiative is spo nsored by the Ohio Rights Group, who collected the 1,000 necessary signatures to get an initiative put before the board. Now that the initiative has been approved, the group will need to collect roughly 385,000 valid signatures in order to qualify for the general election ballot. The group has until July 6th to make this year’s ballot, but can continue collecting aiming for the 2014 ballot if they miss that deadline.

The initiative, if approved by voters, would authorize qualified patients aged 18 and older to possess, use, cultivate and acquire medical marijuana. The Ohio Commission of Cannabis Control would be established to determine regulations.

In addition, the initiative would legalize the cultivation of hemp, with oversight by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

This initiative drives comes as lawmakers in the state discuss recently-filed legislation to legalize marijuana as both a medicine, and as a recreational substance.

– TheJointBlog