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Two weeks ago, the Iowa Senate passed Senate File 484 which expands upon the number of conditions that qualifies patients for medical marijuana. The bill would allow up to four growers regulated by the state to sell marijuana through independent dispensaries.
Iowa law allows patients who suffer from epilepsy access to medical marijuana extracts. The law, however, is written in such a way that the patients who actually qualify for medical marijuana have no way to receive it or to have it transported.
The House has a moral obligation to vote
Today, House Speaker Kraig Paulsen doubled down on his stance against marijuana and stated that the House will not consider a medical marijuana bill this session. This statement comes after Democratic Senator Joe Bolkcom said House Republicans have a moral obligation to vote on the bill.
Senator Bolkcom said, “This isn’t just any issue. It is life and death for many of these patients. If the leadership of the Iowa House wants to deny medicine to Iowans who need it, they should at least have the decency to allow a vote on Senate File 484. In fact, I believe House leaders have a moral obligation to allow a vote on medical cannabis before this session ends.”
Paulsen says the language of bill is not limited enough
House Speaker Paulsen said he does not know what Senator Bolkcom means when he says the House has a moral obligation to vote on the bill. He does not think that the language in the bill is limited enough to prevent recreational marijuana use.
Paulsen said, “The way I understand this bill, it’s basically couched in medical terms, but it’s virtually a recreational use bill. I don’t expect us to be debating that bill this year.”
Session ends on May 1st and with the House choosing not to consider the bill, it is effectively dead.
Iowa polls show significant support for medical marijuana
In February, the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute found that 70% of Iowans support the legalization of medical marijuana. This finding represents an 11% increase from the poll taken during the 2014 midterm elections in Iowa.
Two weeks ago, a Quinnipiac University poll found that more than 80% of Iowans support medicinal marijuana laws.
Iowa residents are being forced to commit crimes due to the lack of action at the state government level. All that separates Iowa residents from medical marijuana is a river into Illinois. If 70%-80% of voters think that medical marijuana should be legal, then they need to get their message heard by state legislators.
The patients are ready. Polls say Iowa residents are ready. But unlike their neighbors to the east, Iowa residents are waiting for their lawmakers to figure it out.
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