[420 Girl]

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Once again, the medical marijuana debate took center stage in Ohio on Wednesday.

Mary Jane Borden strongly supports legalizing marijuana for medical use. She said her advocacy started when she heard four words.

"Multiple congenital cartilaginous exostoses," said Borden. "It puts bumps at the end of your long bones, stretches your muscles, and it causes a lot of pain. These are all neurological issues in my case."

The chronic pain can be helped, Borden argued, with a legal prescription for marijuana.

This week, Rep. Kenny Yuko (D) introduced a bill that would allow patients who have debilitating medical conditions to grow marijuana, ONN's Jim Heath reported.

Ohio would become the 15th state to make the drug legal for medical purposes.

"In states that have passed medical marijuana laws, the youth use is higher than it is in states that have not passed it. So there is some concern there," said Patricia Harmon, with the Drug Free Action Alliance.

Harmon said the federal government has failed to find any positive use for marijuana.

"The FDA still considers marijuana a Schedule 1 drug, which means it's illegal," Harmon said. "Schedule 1 is defined as no current known medical uses."

Borden points to 14 states that disagree with the FDA. She said Ohio needs to only look north to Michigan, which approved medical marijuana in 2008.

"I see a rainbow of drugs out there," Borden said. "From beta-blockers to analgesics to cancer drugs, I'd like to see cannabis join that club of legitimate medications for those inflictions."

Both sides agree that in an election year, this issue could go up in smoke.

A May poll by the University of Cincinnati showed 61 percent of Ohioans opposed making marijuana legal. However, 73 percent support marijuana use for medical purposes.


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