A state pharmacy official was the guest speaker at Defiance Rotary’s luncheon meeting Monday, and discussed the various aspects of Ohio’s medical marijuana program.
Jesse Wimberly, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy’s regional agent in charge of the state’s medical marijuana control program, was on hand during Rotary’s weekly session held at VFW Post 3360.
Wimberly spoke for just over 35 minutes, according to Kirstie Mack, president of Defiance Rotary, explaining the role his agency plays in regulating medical marijuana in Ohio.
Recreational marijuana is not permitted in Ohio, and no bills that would provide for this are pending in the General Assembly.
According to Rotary’s president-elect Sean O’Donnell, who takes over as president in July, Wimberly explained that those who obtain a medical marijuana in Ohio have to have one of 26 medical conditions diagnosed by a physician. Recipients of such a card can use them at one of the limited number of dispensaries throughout the state.Persons who violate the requirements of their medical marijuana card can be kicked out of the program, related O’Donnell, who as the city’s law director has some professional knowledge of the medical marijuana situation.Pharmacists and doctors authorized to prescribe medical marijuana cards also have obligations, O’Donnell explained. Wimberly told Rotarians of two incidents where doctors or pharmacists were caught sampling the marijuana themselves and face penalties such as license removal.
“According to him (Wimberly), they’re regulating it pretty tightly,” O’Donnell told The Crescent-News. “It was reassuring for a lot of us to hear that.”
As for Wimberly’s appearance at Rotary Monday, O’Donnell had invited him to attend.
“I had heard him speak before, so I invited him (to Rotary) a couple months ago,” he explained. “He was excellent. He’s obviously done it awhile, and very confident in the program.”
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