The man who has guided movements in several communities in eastern Ohio now has crossed the border and shifted gears to make a similar effort in the city of Wheeling.
The group “Sensible Wheeling” is scheduled to meet Wednesday evening at 8:15 p.m. at Eden Family Restaurant on Wheeling Island. The eatery is located at 135 Virginia St.
Bill Schmitt Jr., owner of The Holistic Cloud in Bellaire, will serve as host after proving successful in 2016, when the decriminalization initiative passed in Bellaire, and on Election Day this past August, four more voted in favor, too.
“When we got it passed in Martins Ferry, it was our first municipality in this area, so we felt it’s time to start educating the good folks in Wheeling. And if we get it passed in Wheeling, it will send a message to people all over the Valley,” the activist said. “With medicinal cannabis legal in both Ohio and West Virginia, it’s important for those patients for this citizen initiative
“In West Virginia, if you get pulled over for any reason and they find more than 15 grams of marijuana, you go to jail even if it’s the cannabis you were bringing home from the dispensary,” Schmitt explained. “We worked very hard here in East Ohio for that reason, and now there is reason to help the patients on the West Virginia side of the river.”
The four communities where voters approved decriminalization were Tiltonsville, Rayland. Yorkville, and the city of Martins Ferry. Passage of the citizen initiative means anyone can possess less than 200 grams of marijuana without penalty. Five other East Ohio towns voted down the proposal, including Brookside, Mount Pleasant, Dillonvale, Powhatan Point, and Morristown.
A total of 74 votes against made the difference in those five communities and led to the defeats.
“But my team and I will be back because of how close the vote totals were. We just need to do a better job reaching out to the voters in those areas, and that will be the goal in Wheeling and also McMechen,” Schmidt said. “When people vote, they are using their voice, and that’s something I will always appreciate … even if they vote against what we are trying to do.
“This change in the law doesn’t mean people can just walk around and smoke cannabis wherever they please. It’s only about transporting your medicine to the place where you medicate,” he continued. “I know some people still believe all of the propaganda, so all we can try to do is explain the truth about the benefits and what illnesses it can help.”
Hard to Miss
Schmitt and his supporters will show up in their “cannabis suits” where a crowd is expected anywhere in Wheeling so they can collect the valid signatures they need to force the issue in the Friendly City.
Ward 3 Wheeling Councilwoman Rosemary Ketchum (Ward 3) has voiced her support in Schmitt’s efforts and hopes the movement picks up steam.
“And her support means everything to us because we know we’re on the radar in Wheeling already, and that will definitely help with awareness. I hope we can get more support from the mayor and the other Council members because technically they could just pass the ordinance no matter how many signatures we get.
“The same is true in McMechen, and I hope I have the support there. Wheeling? I don’t know yet. I’m sure the majority of the people would be in favor, but will they show up? That’s why I think it might take more time than this November,” he explained. “But we will see. I am hoping for a big turnout Wednesday night at Eden’s, but sometimes it takes time.”
Meeting Mike Tyson
For Schmitt, it was the second occasion when he had the chance to meet the former heavyweight boxing champion of the world, Mike Tyson. For his dear friend John Miller, who was rendered a quadriplegic following an injury sustained during a high school football game several years ago, it was a life highlight.
The meeting took place during a recent trip to Las Vegas when Schmitt and several of his Holistic Cloud crowd traveled to Furturola to shop for cannabis-related products for the Bellaire shop. Tyson was scheduled to make an appearance at the retail store, and Schmitt made sure his friend was there.
“But all I did was make sure he was there. John did the rest,” he insisted. “John asked the owner if he could meet Mike Tyson, and then Mike ended up lighting up his smoke to really make that moment really special for John. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen.
“It was really a successful trip, and we brought back a lot of different products to the (Holistic) Cloud,” Schmitt added. “I’ve been looking for a good spot in downtown Wheeling for a while now, but the pandemic really got in the way of so many things. I would really like to have a shop, so that may be happening soon.”
