Medical Marijuana-Michigan

Issue 3 backers ResponsibleOhio may not be back on the ballot this year, but several groups said Friday they plan to move forward with ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana in Ohio.

(Kirthmon F. Dozier/Detroit Free Press)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- ResponsibleOhio won't be back with another marijuana legalization amendment this year, but marijuana advocates said Friday they will push forward with ballot measures for November as well as work with state lawmakers studying medical marijuana legalization.

Legalize Ohio 2016, also known as Ohioans to End Prohibition, plans to continue to try to collect the 305,591 signatures of registered Ohio voters necessary by July 6 to qualify its issue for the November ballot. Its proposed constitutional amendment would legalize recreational and medical marijuana, as well as allow farmers to grow hemp.

Legalize Ohio 2016 President Sri Kavuru said his group will encourage its supporters to be involved in discussions at the Statehouse on the medical marijuana issue. The House plans to vet the issue through a task force composed of doctors, lawyers, business people, law enforcement officers and two former leaders of ResponsibleOhio, the group behind 2015's failed marijuana measure.

Kavuru said his group will encourage advocates to testify at the task force meetings and in town hall meetings state Senators plan to hold across the state.

Kavuru said he's hopeful the legislature will enact good legislation that establishes an industry and serves many types of patients.

"At the end of the day, we do want reform for patients first," Kavuru said. "If they pass the right medical marijuana law, then it's not worth going through a ballot initiative. If they don't or we hear they're passing something we don't like, we'll continue with the initiative. The citizens' initiative process is there in case the government doesn't do what you want."

The group has collected about 80,000 signatures, Kavuru said, but many petition books are still in the field. Kavuru said the group, which has relied on volunteers thus far, will have the money to hire paid signature collectors.

Legalize Ohio 2016 is the only recreational marijuana measure in motion. ResponsibleOhio co-founder Jimmy Gould said Thursday that the group would not pursue a ballot initiative this year, opting instead to work through the legislature to legalize medical marijuana.

Ohio Rights Group, which had been collecting signatures for a medical-only measure until it backed Issue 3, could still qualify for the November ballot. ORG President Mary Jane Borden said the group does not have the money to pay signature collectors or run a campaign and instead will focus on educating lawmakers about the benefits of medical cannabis.

"If someone wants to get medical marijuana on the ballot, [our amendment] is ready to go," Borden said. "Considering everything else hanging in the balance, we're not only focusing on that but getting our message out through these hearings."

A new, medical-only measure was filed Thursday with the Ohio attorney general. The Ohio Medical Cannabis Amendment, backed by longtime marijuana advocates Tonya Davis and Carlis McDerment, would allow people with a qualifying condition such as glaucoma or multiple sclerosis to purchase and use marijuana.

If the proposed summary is cleared by the attorney general, the group will have to collect 305,591 signatures of registered Ohio voters to put the measure on the ballot.