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Ohio Senate Panel Defers Changes To Medical Marijuana Bill

A State Senate panel puts off changes to a proposal to legalize medical marijuana.

A state Senate panel has delayed making changes to a proposal that would legalize medical marijuana in Ohio. 

The bill would bar patients from smoking the substance but allow them to use it in vapor form. They couldn't grow it at home. Communities could opt out of hosting dispensaries, and employers who want to maintain drug-free workplaces would be protected from liability.

The bill would create a nine-member Medical Marijuana Control Commission to set rules for cultivating, distributing and licensing cannabis.

The House passed the legislation last week. The Senate's government oversight committee says changes anticipated Tuesday could now come Wednesday.

Lawmakers want the fast-tracked bill to reach the governor by month's end.

They're seeking to head off a proposed November ballot issue supported by the national medical marijuana movement.

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