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Longtime Medical Marijuana Supporter Not Surprised At Poll Showing Ohio Support

ORLETT: "Considering what’s happened around the country, Ohio had to catch up eventually. It’s been a gradual trend but seems to be accelerating, and it'll be very exciting to see what happens from here. Of course we are trying to promote it and encourage medical marijuana with more open mindedness about marijuana in general."

INGLES: "Do you think these numbers will have any effect of Ohio getting an issue on the ballot to allow medical marijuana?"

ORLETT: "I'm not sure. I don’t see that happening this year or next year -- 2016 would certainly be a possibility but it’s just hard to tell. I don’t think that, God bless him, that Rep. (Bob) Hagan’s efforts to get a ballot issue or by the legislature will be viable. And there are so many other states where there isn’t the conservative hold that Republicans have here that make them much more attractive for resources or contributors to support Ohio. At some point, all of these other easier states will have gone, and people will be looking around and they'll say, 'Gee, why haven’t we done something in Ohio?' And maybe finally one day then it will take off."

INGLES: "Do you think that’s what is driving these numbers – the fact that we are seeing some states legalizing marijuana, legalizing it outright even, and not having huge problems immediately with it?"

ORLETT: "I think that’s a factor. Plus there seems to be a general overall liberalizing trend. We see that with gay marriage -- of course we're not involved in that issue. I think that’s part of it. I think it’s just people’s attitudes. Unfortunately, the Ohio legislature doesn’t get that. They keep on in their same rut."

Orlett says he’s continuing to work on criminal justice issues and sentencing reforms where his group has had some notable success. Orlett says his organization wants to continue to push for what he considers better drug policies but says that push can’t take place too quickly in Ohio.

Nick Castele was a senior reporter covering politics and government for Ideastream Public Media. He worked as a reporter for Ideastream from 2012-2022.