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Lawmakers Act To Nix Impact Of Ohio Court Ruling On Cocaine

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TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) – Ohio lawmakers are moving quickly to override a state Supreme Court ruling that prosecutors fear could delay and shorten sentences for suspects caught with cocaine.

The state Senate is expected to take up the legislation that deals with the weight of the cocaine in drug cases after lawmakers in the House unanimously approved the proposal this past week.

It would allow sentences to be based on the entire weight of the cocaine, including filler material such as baking soda, instead of the amount of pure cocaine.

The Ohio Supreme Court in late December ruled that the sentences must be based on how much pure cocaine the suspects had.

The state Attorney General’s office says only two states, New York and Georgia, require purity tests for cocaine in some cases.