He has changed his mind.
Ohio County Commissioner Tim McCormick initially was not in favor of a medicinal marijuana dispensary locating to Ohio County, but he listened to constituents who urged him to research the issue further.
So, he did. Hence his new mindset.
McCormick told Joselyn King from the Wheeling newspaper on Feb. 7 that he opposed the proposals offered by three potential shop owners because of his tenure as an educator at Wheeling Park High School.
“I have a real problem with the situation, to be quite honest with you,” the commission president told King. “Medical cannabis as a paste or a pill — I have zero problems with it. But if it’s vape — it amazes me they are allowing that for medical cannabis. Smoking medical cannabis? I’m sorry. I’m an old health teacher. I’m an old guy, and I’m set in my ways. It’s a gateway drug.
“We’ve got an opioid problem now that we cannot control. It’s not federally legal to do this. You can’t even put banking together to do this since it’s against federal law to grow this and sell it. It’s illegal, according to the federal government.”
A Changed Opinion
In the same interview with the newspaper reporter, McCormick even said, “But if you give somebody an inch, you know exactly what will happen. Here comes the mile, and that’s where all the negativity comes in. That’s my personal opinion.”
That’s where research came into play.
“I’ve had several people come to me and ask me to get educated on it, so that’s what I’ve done, and yes, I have changed my mind on the issue,” McCormick said. “There’s a lot to learn, and I did after reading a lot of different information and from having conversations with a lot of people about what the benefits are. I know there are a lot of people out there who could use these products for the relief that they need.
“I was a health teacher and someone who was involved in athletics at Wheeling Park for a lot of years, and I saw some gifted students who didn’t reach their potential because they just wouldn’t put the stuff down,” he recalled. “That was then and this is now, though, and what I have learned has changed my mind. I now believe we should put it on the ballot this November for the residents to make the decision instead of the three members of the Ohio County Commission.”
The People’s Choice
With year’s election cycle involving a presidential election, it is expected more voters will go to the polls than the numbers attracted by the mid-term polling, so McCormick believes the timing is perfect to gain as much public opinion as possible.
“After I looked into it further, I realized that this is a bigger issue than three people who live in Ohio County who just so happen to be commissioners. This isn’t a decision that should be made by the three of us,” he said. “The people of this county need to make this decision, so it is what the majority wants or doesn’t want. This is an issue that could affect a lot of people, and that’s the main reason why the people should have the final say-so.”
Delayed
The medicinal marijuana legislation was approved three years ago, but its implementation is more than a year delayed because of a delayed decision concerning banking and now with dispensary locations and grow facilities. An amendment offered by Democratic members of the House of Delegates included the use of the flower but was rejected by the chamber’s Republican majority.
“The state people have been taking their time with the implementation of medicinal marijuana, but now the time has arrived for this decision to be made,” McCormick said. “And I encourage everyone to look into it like I did because there are a lot of benefits to consider.
“If you want to take medicinal marijuana, I have no problem with it as long as it’s a pill or a paste, but I feel if you are smoking it or vaping it, I see that as defeating the purpose because you could be creating more possible problems for yourself,” he said. “But if it’s a pill or an oil of some sort, then that tells me your addressing a specific issue, and if medicinal marijuana works, then that’s awesome.”
Not a Gateway
In the Upper Ohio Valley, much discussion has taken place concerning the question, “Why?”
That is because of the search for the cause of the ongoing opioid epidemic and for a recent increased use of methhamphetamines in the Wheeling area. For years the federal government fought the unwinnable “War on Drugs,” and taxpayer-funded TV commercials most often focused on marijuana.
“But it’s not the gateway drug to the problems we are seeing here in this county and this valley,” McCormick said. “There are a lot of different reasons why this is happening here, but marijuana is not one of them.
“But this issue should go on the ballot because I don’t want my opinion of it to be an influence on everybody else,” the commissioner continued. “That’s why I would prefer to put this to a vote of the people because if it’s approved, it will be a big lifestyle change for the people who live here. If the Health Department approves it and it comes to the Commission, then we’re going to let the people decide by putting it on the November ballot.”
