Medical marijuana is becoming more accepted in the United States - and may be coming to a state near you. On Oct. 19, the U.S. Justice Department wrote in a memo that prosecuting people who sell or use medical marijuana within state laws was no longer at the top of its priority list. The department said it wants to use its resources as effectively as possible, and chasing after those involved with the drug does not follow those guidelines. The memo went to federal prosecutors in the 14 states that allow the use of medical marijuana. Ohio is not one of those 14 states, but it may be on its way.

A medical marijuana bill is to be introduced at the beginning of 2010, sponsored by state Representative Ken Yuko, said Cher Neufer, treasurer of the North Ohio chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Neufer said a medical marijuana bill has been introduced twice so far without much luck, but she noted, "How many times did it take to pass the gambling laws?" The answer: three.

Kate Lyman, Yuko's legislative aide, said right now they're using the bill State Senator Tom Roberts introduced - Senate Bill 343 - in 2008 as the basis for the new bill. "We're tweaking it right now," Lyman said. "We're working with interested parties to make it stronger."

Read the rest of Sarah Steimer's article.