CLEVELAND—Today, State Senator Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights) released the following statement to address the legislative intent of the affirmative defense provision in HB 523, the bill establishing a medical marijuana program in Ohio. The senator's statement is in response to the guidance to physicians issued yesterday by the State Medical Board of Ohio.
 
“The goal of the affirmative defense is to expedite access for patients who have a qualifying condition and a recommendation from their doctor. It would protect them from a possession of marijuana or marijuana paraphernalia conviction. This was considered an appropriate compromise to avoid forcing those in significant need to wait while Ohio took the important time to effectively establish the regulatory system.”
 
“The affirmative defense section spells out everything a physician would need to do to provide patients with this limited, short-term protection without having to wait for the agencies. It simply wouldn’t make sense to read it any other way.”