Supreme Court board researching queries on medical marijuana

The Supreme Court of Ohio is reporting that the state’s Board of Professional Conduct has received two requests from attorneys seeking ethical guidance about the medical marijuana law, or HB 523, signed by Gov. John R. Kasich.

The law allows physicians to prescribe marijuana for qualified patients and permits the cultivation, processing, and dispensing of medical marijuana under state-regulated licenses.

The questions submitted to the board involve the scope of services attorneys may provide to businesses that directly or indirectly engage in the marijuana trade; attorney ownership in related businesses; and personal use of marijuana by an attorney.

The court said that the board’s Advisory Opinion Committee is working with its staff to “research the relevant issues and expects to make a recommendation to the board in August.”

The board is authorized “to issue nonbinding advisory opinions in response to prospective or hypothetical questions regarding the application of the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct,” the court said.

The court said that attorneys with questions about medical marijuana should submit written questions for consideration on or before July 11 to the attention of Director Richard Dove at rick.dove@sc.ohio.gov.

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