The Ohio Medical Cannabis Act of 2012 needs 385,000 signatures by the first week of July to get its medical marijuana amendment on the November ballot.

As we reported in Tuesday’s paper, the amendment would protect eligible patients from discrimination and allow them access to marijuana — for medical purposes.

Although we can appreciate drug-related humor in movies like “Pineapple Express,” we support this proposal for the help it would give to the estimated 250,000 Ohio patients in need, and we’re not alone.

Stephen Downing, a former deputy police chief for the Los Angeles Police Department, showed his support at an Ohio Medical Cannabis Association press conference in Columbus on March 29. He called it a “beautifully, effectively balanced and very reasonable amendment for medical cannabis” and supports the commercial production of grown, regulated and taxed medical marijuana.

Tuesday’s graphic showed the benefits of medical marijuana — although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not approve all. If there’s even a slight chance the use can help ease Alzheimer’s, arthritis, cancer, migraines and glaucoma, then we support it.

“This plant can do a lot of benefit to a lot of people, and it’s time that our doctors are looking at that,” said Theresa Daniello, director of the OMCA. “We are a great agricultural state, and we are a great medical state.”

According to the OCMA2012.org, 90 million Americans have the right to medical marijuana, and Ohioans should as well, and it’s a safer alternative to pain pills.

We believe this amendment would do far greater good than harm, but we want to hear what you have to say. Do you think marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes? Join the conversation on Twitter by using #kwmedmj.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board