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Ohio legislative leaders said they did not make a deal with Marijuana Policy Project to force the organization to drop its medical marijuana ballot initiative.

(Andrew Selsky, Associated Press)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Backers of a constitutional amendment that would have legalized medical marijuana said they were not pressured by state lawmakers to abandon efforts to put their measure on the November ballot.

Ohioans for Medical Marijuana, funded by national group Marijuana Policy Project, ended its ballot effort on Saturday, days after state lawmakers passed a bill establishing a more restrictive medical marijuana program.

Legislators may have been attempting to head off the amendment, but Saturday's announcement came as a surprise. Legislative leaders and Gov. John Kasich's office, which had been looped in on negotiations about House Bill 523, said there was no deal made with Marijuana Policy Project to end its ballot campaign.

Ohioans for Medical Marijuana spokesman Aaron Marshall agreed there was no deal, but said the proposed amendment helped nudge the House bill forward.

"There were conversations where lawmakers were saying 'OK, what will it take for you guys to go away?'" Marshall said Tuesday.

Legislators tout medical marijuana bill

Sen. Dave Burke tells it a different way.

"There was no point where we sat down and said if we do this would you stop because they never gave an indication they would stop," said Burke, a Marysville Republican and licensed pharmacist.

Rep. Kirk Schuring, who led the House GOP work on the bill, said he never spoke with the group during the process but welcomes input on medical marijuana going forward.

House Bill 523 allows people with about 20 qualifying medical conditions to use marijuana with their doctor's recommendation. But patients wouldn't be allowed to smoke it or grow their own, as they would have under MPP's amendment.

Burke said House Bill 523 proves that state government actually works every once in a while. Soon after Ohioans soundly rejected a recreational marijuana measure last year, state lawmakers pledged to take up the medical marijuana issue. The House formed a 15-member task force to review evidence and take testimony, and Burke and Democratic Sen. Kenny Yuko toured the state to hear what Ohioans had to say.

"I'm proud that we listened and got it right and obviously well enough that MPP threw up their hands and left the arena," Burke said.

Ballot measure couldn't compete

In addition to excluding home grow and smoking, Ohioans for Medical Marijuana and other advocates criticized House Bill 523 for its long start-up time, limited patient protections and strict oversight.

During the final stages of the legislative process, lawmakers attempted to address those concerns by:

adding an "affirmative defense" for patients and parents of patients against prosecution for using and possessing marijuana before dispensaries are established, protecting parents and caregivers from arrest and prohibiting housing discrimination.

shortening the timeline so cultivators could begin applying for licenses earlier.

eliminating a requirement that pharmacists be present in every dispensary, reducing reporting requirements for doctors and dividing the regulatory oversight among existing agencies: the state pharmacy and medical boards and the Department of Commerce.

The final bill earned praise from Marijuana Policy Project Executive Director Rob Kampia. In an email to supporters, he noted the law is better than those in Minnesota, New York and other states and said it's almost impossible to raise millions of dollars to improve a law that just passed.

Marshall said the campaign was waiting on key campaign donors who weren't willing to give after legislators passed a comprehensive medical marijuana bill.

"To make the case we need an A+ instead of a B- is hard," Marshall said.

What's next in Ohio?

Marijuana Policy Project will focus its efforts on implementing the new Ohio law -- assuming Kasich signs off on it -- and improving the law to serve more Ohioans who could benefit from medical marijuana. What that looks like -- whether the organization would field members for the new medical marijuana advisory committee or even continue as Ohioans for Medical Marijuana is unknown, Marshall said.

Lawmakers had scolded the group for not engaging in the House task force or Senate listening tour and spoke often about the need to pass legislation instead of letting "outsiders" write the law in the Ohio Constitution. Now that the ballot measure is on hold indefinitely, the group plans to use its decades of marijuana policy work to help the legislature and regulatory agencies establish the program.

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