Although the margin of victory was slim in Martins Ferry, the majority of voters approved the decriminalization of marijuana in the city of Martins Ferry.
Martins Ferry, the oldest “settlement” in Ohio, became the 22nd municipality in the Buckeye State to erase laws for the possession of marijuana by a 435-404 vote. The approval did not make marijuana legal to smoke, but it does allow for the possession of up to 200 grams without penalty.
“Sensible Marijuana” ordinances also were approved in Yorkville (81-66), Tiltonsville (76-74), and Rayland (72-47), but the citizen initiatives were denied in Brookside, Powhatan Point, Morristown, Dillonvale, and Mount Pleasant.
“We’ll just have to work harder to educate the voters before the next time,” explained Bill Schmitt, founder of the “Sensible” movement and the owner of The Holistic Cloud in Bellaire. “There’s still a stigma attached to cannabis and some folks just can’t let it go, and there are some voters we didn’t reach for whatever reasons.
“There are some people who refuse to listen to the truth about the ailments that can be relieved by cannabis. I am a medicinal marijuana patient in Ohio because of chronic pain and PTSD, but there are so many folks out there that use cannabis because of cancer and other illnesses,” he continued. “What we see is once someone understands the benefits, they become supporters of what we’re trying to accomplish.”
A Medicinal State
Ohio is one of 36 states that have approved cannabis use legal for medical purposes, and the program began on Sept. 6, 2016, following a two-year delay.
The very first Ohio citizen to purchase medicinal cannabis was Joan Caleodis, a resident of Martins Ferry who is a customer of CY-Plus dispensary in Wintersville. Caleodis suffers form multiple sclerosis and uses marijuana to counter the pain of the disease.
“And I am happy she was able to get what she needs to help her feel better,” said Jack Regis, a long-time councilman in Martins Ferry. That’s why the decriminalization of marijuana in Martins Ferry didn’t bother me at all. If someone needs it for a medical condition, I am 100 percent behind it because that’s what helps them and we know that marijuana can help people in a lot of ways. Luckily, I’m in pretty good shape and I don’t need it, but if I did, who am I to say no?
“Hey, I used to go out and drink beer and why wasn’t that big of a deal? I just think we have thought the wrong ways about marijuana for a lot of years but now we know much more about it,” he said. “Now, with marijuana, I’ve never tried it, but if a doctor told me it would help me for whatever reason, I’d be there.”
Regis has been active with city government in Martins Ferry for more than 40 years, and he served as mayor from 1984-87. Regis took the time to learn about the benefits prior to voting on Nov. 2.
“I know most people my age are still against marijuana because it was known as a really bad drug for a long time,” the councilman said. “But anyone who has paid attention over the years knows by now that it can be used as a medicine. If that wasn’t the truth, the state of Ohio would not have approved the medical marijuana program we have now. That’s where I am with it.”
