Patients urge state not to delay medical pot

Nicole Scholten knows there is a lot of money to be made in Ohio’s soon-tolaunch medical-marijuana industry.

But as those looking to grab their branch of the money tree fight over who did and didn’t get picked to grow the marijuana, and the state Department of Commerce admits to mishandling applications, Scholten doesn’t want anyone to lose sight of what is really at stake.

While standing at a lectern, the Cincinnati mom held the hand of her daughter, Lucy, a 14-yearold who is wheelchair-bound from a stack of medical challenges, including cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

“I promise you, her significant case of cerebral palsy pales in comparison to the regular, daily struggle that comes from the epilepsy,” Scholten said, adding that Lucy has hundreds of small seizures each day. “They interrupt learning, living, relationship-building. All the good stuff in life stops when kids are having seizures all day.”

Scholten is not worried about whether certain investors didn’t get picked as a large- or small-scale grower, or how many are filing lawsuits (186 of the losing cultivator applicants have sued).

Dozens of drugs have failed her daughter, and many had “horrible side effects.” Scholten thinks marijuana will help.

“There’s lots of news being made about who’s being denied access into the multimillion-dollar business opportunity of medical marijuana,” she said. “I’m here to let policymakers know that we, as patients, hope there will be just as much concern … if this young program develops barriers to patient access.”

Ohio is spending two years putting together its medicalmarijuana program, but with problems arising and lawsuits filed, some people question whether the drug will be available to patients by the Sept. 8 deadline.

“This is not rocket science, and we’re not inventing the wheel,” said Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights. “We’re following other states that have implemented the program and have been successful. It’s a game-changer for our families and our friends.”

The Department of Commerce remains committed to having the program ready by Sept. 8, said Stephanie Gostomski, department spokeswoman.

“We have a responsibility to set up an effective, patient-centered program,” she said, adding that the department is on target to name marijuana processors and testing labs in the spring.

“We’ve met every legislative deadline to date.”

Leanne Barbee of Newark said that since her doctor ended her painkiller prescription, she has been illegally using marijuana for chronic pain resulting from a variety of ailments. She said she knows people are going to make money off the new system.

“But patients should be the No. 1 priority,” she said. “Pushing the program back to try to figure out licensing is a bad move. Patients need it now.”