Proponents of medical marijuana asked Bellefontaine City Council members to allow dispensaries to be in the city while opponents urged members to stay the course.
EXAMINER FILE PHOTO
A mother of an autistic child, whom the Examiner is not naming to protect the child’s identity, was among the supporters as were Jack Haven, a local marijuana activist, and Wendy Craig, who is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
The mother took her 12-year-old son to the meeting, saying, “I wanted you to meet someone who can benefit from this.”
She was reluctant to speak, but felt led because she has found something that works for her severely autistic son.
“I feel like there are a lot of people like me who would like to see it legal here,” she said.
Craig said she benefits from using marijuana and would like to have access to medical marijuana.
Both she and Mollie Rogan believe the council could send a message to local doctors that medical marijuana is acceptable and then maybe one would seek state licensure to recommend the treatment.
As for Haven, he simply wants to know why the council is going back on its word.
“You said last year we were going to get a dispensary,” he said. “But now we’re not. “Why not?”
Howard Traul II again encouraged council members to support the ordinance which bans cultivation, processing and dispensaries in the city as it would send the right message to employers and to children.
“If the facts change in the future, we can change the ordinance,” he said.
Mike Ward, a mental health counselor specializing in recovery treatment, also urged passage of the ordinance.
“We know the pressure you receive will not go away anytime soon,” he said. “I am available to you as you wrestle with this difficult decision.
“You will not regret voting for the measure.”
Following the public comments,M council members voted 4-2 to approve the first reading. There was no council discussion prior to the vote in which Allen Hadley and Peter DeSomma voted “No.”
The council next meets at 7:30 p.m. March 12.
MORE COUNCIL NEWS in Wednesday’s Examiner.
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