The Great Iowa Medical Marijuana Debacle - Some Iowa families say without medical marijuana, they will have no choice but to move to Colorado to save their children’s lives. Meanwhile, the state government claims that although they are sympathetic to the severity of their situation, they can find no reason to support a medical marijuana program. Earlier this week, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy denied a petition to reclassify marijuana, which under state law, has “no currently-accepted medical use.” The pharmacy board must first amend the state’s negative definition of marijuana before the appropriate legislation can be introduced -- a technicality that has the parents of epileptic children frustrated. “I can’t understand how they can listen to all the testimonies of how cannabis can help Iowans and not take any action,” said Marie La France of Des Moines, who filed the petition in January to fight for her son to have access to CBD oils to treat his seizures. According to IBP Chairman Edward Maier, the board does not have the appropriate jurisdiction to launch a statewide medical marijuana program. He says several other state agencies would need to get involved before anything of this nature could be put into place, although a section of Iowa code clearly states the pharmacy board has the power to develop a medical marijuana program. However, Maier argues that the lack of action on this matter is technically the fault of state legislators. In 2010, the board gave the Iowa Legislature approval to pursue medical marijuana, but efforts to move forward on the issue continues to fail year after year. Unfortunately, even if a bill aimed at legalizing medical marijuana was to ever land on the desk of Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, the likelihood of it being passed into law is not good. “I think we have to be careful about drafting our laws just for a few people that have a particular problem or ailment,” he said earlier this week during a press conference. I think there will be a tipping point in the future.” -hightimes
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 13:46:40 +0000
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