Ryan reviewed his experiences as a member of the Republican Central Committee.� Supporting medical marijuana did not hurt Republican Bob Ehrlich in his successful race for Governor of Maryland. As a congressman Ehrlich supported medical marijuana bills in Washington DC.� Ryan was an early supporter of Ehrlich in his gubernatorial race against Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.� Townsend, a democratic drug warrior, tangled with Ryan when she came to the Eastern Shore of Maryland.� Ryan authored a medical marijuana resolution while in the Maryland Republican Central Committee. Michael Steele was the party chairman and supported Ryan's resolution for medical marijuana. Michael Steele currently serves as Maryland's Lt. Governor.

 

Ryan spoke of his experiences with Ohio Democrats on the issue of medical marijuana.� �They are spineless� he said.� He recalled an event earlier in the year when the Ohio Democratic Party attempted to have him banned from the Columbus Renaissance Hotel when he raised the issue of medical marijuana.� After an embarrassing standoff for the Democratic party, Senator Mark Mallory came to Ryan�s aid and was allowed back into the Democratic event. Ryan was there on the behalf of the Ohio Patient Network, attempting to sway democratic support for a medical marijuana bill in the Ohio Senate.� Ryan warned the young Republican group that Ohio Democrats may someday find some backbone on this issue and advised that supporting Medical Marijuana does not hurt politically.

 

Ryan demonstrated the magnitude of the public support in several ways. He reviewed the political results of recent elections where Medical Marijuana ballots initiatives received far more votes than presidential candidates such as Clinton, Dole, Gore, or Bush.� Even in solid Republican state like Montana, medical marijuana bill received far more votes than Bush. He provided printed material from the Ohio Patient Network that contained supporting polling and ballot data on medical marijuana.

 

Ryan was warmly received by the group and was asked if he could help the young republicans get Michael Steele to come to Cincinnati.� Bennett could face a young Republican group that might now have a different view than Bennett�s radical views on the medical marijuana issue when he finally comes to Cincinnati.

 

Web References

www.robryan.org

www.ohiopatient.net

www.LEAP.cc

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060114/NEWS01/601140398/1056