Board Backs Legalizing Medical Marijuana In Iowa

[Bruno]

http://www.kcci.com/news/22591597/detail.html

POSTED: 1:00 pm CST February 17, 2010


DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Iowa Pharmacy Board voted unanimously Wednesday that it recommends the Legislature legalize marijuana for medical use in Iowa.

The board held its final hearing on whether to recommend allowing doctors to prescribe the drug to some patients on Wednesday morning.

The board originally rejected the idea out of hand, but a judge ordered the board to take a closer look.

So after several public input meetings held around Iowa, the board met to make its final recommendation. Some board members we talked to say they still aren't convinced.

Look for updates on this developing story on KCCI-TV and here on KCCI.com.

[Bruno]

Updated story, including poll:

DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Iowa Pharmacy Board voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend the Legislature legalize marijuana for medical use in Iowa.

SURVEY
Should Iowa lawmakers make marijuana available to Iowans for medical uses?
Yes make it legal
No don't
I don't know

In a 6-0 vote Wednesday, the board also called for lawmakers to change the classification of marijuana to a Schedule II drug. Such drugs have the potential for abuse but also have accepted medical uses.

The board's action makes it the first in the nation to take such a stance on marijuana. There are now 14 states in which medical marijuana is legal.

The board originally rejected the idea out of hand, but a judge ordered the board to take a closer look.

After several public input meetings held around Iowa, the board met to make its final recommendation. Some board members said earlier in the day that they were not convinced of the arguments supporting legalization, but the final vote was 6-0 in favor of recommending legalization.

The recommendation could lead to doctors in Iowa being able to prescribe marijuana to some patients.

Board members said they don't expect the Legislature to take immediate action during a shortened session that likely will end by late March.

[Bruno]

Now the Comment section has been removed. They are notorious for doing that when they don't agree with the comments.

Either two people are spamming this poll, one for, one against, or they have it programmed to keep the percentages the same. Regardless of the amount of votes, it has stayed at 75% for, 21% against. I started watching when there were less than 380 votes for, and now it is over 550 for with no change in percentage.

Yes make it legal 724 75%
No don't 201 21%
I don't know 43 4%

[Bruno]

If anyone can see the comments section on the site, let me know. Maybe it is just me. I called and they said it was still showing and allowing comments.

[surf]

yes - 764 75%
no - 213 21%
i don't know - 44 4%

[Bruno]

Percentages have stayed exactly the same for over 500 votes. Smells fishy

Yes make it legal 877 75%
No don't 247 21%
I don't know 51 4%

[Bruno]

Yes make it legal 1716 78%
No don't 404 18%
I don't know 76 3%

Updated article

DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Iowa pharmacy board took the state a step closer to legalizing marijuana for medical use, but the issue still faces a huge obstacle in the Iowa Legislature.

The recommendation could eventually lead to doctors in Iowa being able to prescribe marijuana to some patients.

In a small Des Moines conference room, months of heated debate came down to a single discussion: should marijuana be reclassified as an addictive, but useful drug, or should it remain illegal?

"I tend to look at public health in the bigger scope than just the person using it," said board member Ann Diehl.

"It's not public health really. It's a small portion of the people that are wanting to use the marijuana for medical purposes," said pharmacist Vernon Benjamin.

The six-member board made up mostly of pharmacists was unanimous in recommending that Iowa lawmakers reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug in recognition of its medicinal benefits. The recommendation does not impact current Iowa law, which bans the use of marijuana for medical or other purposes.

SURVEY
Should Iowa lawmakers make marijuana available to Iowans for medical uses?
Yes make it legal
No don't
I don't know

Results | Disclaimer | E-Mail


A Schedule II drug means that the state recognizes the drug's medicinal benefits, but also a potential for abuse.

The board originally rejected the idea out of hand, but a judge ordered the board to take a closer look.

"We're absolutely ecstatic, obviously," said supporter Jimmy Morrison. "Putting it into Schedule Two says that it has accepted medical value in the United States, which is a huge, huge step."

The vote moves the debate up to the Legislature.

"It's elevating the discussion and that's probably a good thing," said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.


The board is recommending that the Legislature convene a task force or study committee for the purpose of making recommendations back to the full Legislature regarding the administration of a medical marijuana program.

It's too late in this legislative session to restart the debate, but House leaders said the pharmacy board's recommendation may drive them to spend the summer researching their options.

"We will have a committee that would meet periodically with experts, with people from the pharmacy board, with doctors to see if there is bipartisan consensus to do something in this regard," McCarthy said.

He said if there is a bipartisan consensus, Iowans could expect a vote in about a year.

The board's action makes it the first in the nation to take such a stance on marijuana. There are now 14 states in which medical marijuana is legal

[jkr]

RE-Legalizing