Dueling proposals emerging to alter Ohio marijuana law going into effect December 7^th

Ohio lawmakers are scrambling to make changes to the adult recreational marijuana law approved by 57% of voters in November.

But with the law set to go into effect Thursday, December 7, there’s disagreement among Senate and House Republicans regarding what specific changes to make.

Northeast Ohio Rep. Jamie Callender, R-Concord, became the fourth lawmaker to propose changes to the marijuana law passed in November as Issue 2. Rep. Callender introduced H.B. 354, and believes his proposal stays truest to the will of the voters.

The Senate unveiled a plan Monday that would make more drastic changes. The chamber’s plan, brought forth by Sen. Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, floats eliminating home grow; creating an effective 30% tax rate; decreasing the legal maximum potency of legal marijuana; and decreasing the amount of marijuana an individual can legally possess. It also suggests various changes to how the tax revenue would be distributed. Ultimately, if the chambers can’t come to an agreement, Issue 2 will move forward as planned; home grow and possession will be legalized on Dec. 7 and the Department of Commerce will move forward with its directive to eventually flesh out regulatory rules, as Issue 2 demands.

What Potential Humana-Cigna Tie Up Means for Behavioral Health

An industry-redefining merger of Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) and The Cigna Group (NYSE:CI) is reportedly in the works.

The deal, if completed, would create a massive company that spans nearly every segment of the health insurance industry. It would also create a formidable clinical and health services division prominently featuring behavioral health. Both entities offer behavioral health services via various platforms, including commercial, and Medicare and Medicaid programs. Apart from creating a gargantuan clinical and health insurance company — the alleged merger would provide a compelling test of the Biden administration’s stance on mega-mergers.

Ohio SUD COE Trainings

The Ohio Substance Use Disorders Center of Excellence (SUD COE), housed at Case Western Reserve University, is pleased to announce our initial training schedule beginning with a range of free topical content offerings that will be available in both virtual and regional onsite/in-person formats.

The SUD COE will be rolling out new evidence-informed sessions each quarter and will also offer a variety of learning community opportunities for professionals looking to explore essential topics and roles associated with the treatment of high morbidity/high mortality SUD.

Trainings that are now open for registration are:

• Overview of Best Practices in the Supervision of Substance Use Treatment Providers
• Engagement & Retention in Substance Use Disorder Treatment
• Ethics and Boundaries for Substance Use Disorder Professionals
• Foundational Principles of Substance Use Disorder Treatment

Gambling Disorder Case Presentation: Co Occurrence of Gambling Disorder with Substance Use Disorders

Problem Gambling Network of Ohio invites you to attend the upcoming Gambling Disorder Case Presentation session on Tuesday, December 5th from 12:00-1:00pm. 

During this session, Jesse Wodrig, MBA, LCDCIII-GAMB, OCPSA will share a case study of a former client diagnosed with a co-occurrence of stimulant use disorder and gambling disorder. This no-cost training will provide 1.0 CEU through the Ohio Chemical Dependency Board, the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board, and the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board.

Registration details can be found here.