Bill to Legalize Medical Cannabis Approved by Iowa’s Senate Ways and Means Committee
A proposal to
legalize the medical use of cannabis, and to establish a system of dispensaries to distribute the medicine, has been approved by Iowa’s Senate Ways and Means Committee. The measure was approved earlier this month by the state’s Senate Human Resources Committee.
If approved into law, the Senate Study Bill 1243 would allow for the possession and use of medical cannabis by those with a qualifying medical condition who have received a recommendation from a physician. Qualifying conditions would include cancer, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy, post traumatic stress disorder, hepatitis C, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. Unfortunately the proposal would prohibit patients from actually smoking cannabis, meaning they’ll need to consume their medicine through tinctures, oils and vaping.
The measure would go considerably further than a medical cannabis bill approved by lawmakers in 2014, which allows for the possession and use of low-THC cannabis extracts, but only for those with epilepsy. The law also established no legal means of patients obtaining cannabis-based medicine.
Senate Study Bill 1243 has been sent to the full Senate. for consideration.
– TheJointBlog
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Quinnipiac poll from March 2014 =>
“Iowa voters support 81 – 17 percent allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana for medical use, with support of 68 percent or more from every party, gender and age group, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.”
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/iowa/release-detail?ReleaseID=2020