Iowa Medical Cannabis Bill Becomes Law

Iowa Medical Cannabis Bill Becomes Law

A bill to legalize the cannabis compound cannabidiol for medical purposes, which was signed into law by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad on May 31st, officially takes effect today, July 1st.

Under the new law those who receive a recommendation from a neurologist and subsequently receive a registration card from the state’s Department of Public Health will be authorized to possess and use up to 32 ounces of cannabidiol. Cannabidiol, commonly referred to simply as CBD, is a nonpsychoactive compound found in cannabis.

Unfortunately most patients won’t have a means of obtaining their medicine (as distribution isn’t allowed), meaning they’ll need to find a way of receiving CBD from other states that allow its distribution, such as California or Colorado. This massive loophole in the law should be something advocates fight hard to change in the upcoming legislative session; patients deserve safe access to their medicine, and the entire plant – not just one particular compound – should be allowed. The new law also only allows those with epilepsy to legally use CBD, despite the fact that research has shown it to be useful for a large number of additional conditions.

Activists clearly have a lot of work ahead of them to bring forth more meaningful reform in the State of Iowa. Still, this move will certainly help some, and is a step – albeit a small one – in the right direction.

– TheJointBlog