We were impressed last September by the people who spoke in favor of medical marijuana during an Iowa Pharmacy Board hearing in Mason City. We were encouraged when that same board voted unanimously in February that marijuana has medicinal properties that could help Iowans the way it is helping people in 14 other states and the District of Columbia. At last, we thought, a proven form of relief could soon be on the way for the many Iowans who could benefit from using marijuana to ease conditions caused by cancer and other diseases. [continues 515 words]
The once bright future for medical marijuana is looking a lot hazier after a recent dispute between the Iowa Board of Pharmacy and the state's legislators. Medical marijuana in Iowa had appeared to be heading toward legalization, but there have been major arguments lately on whether it is up to the state board or the Legislature to give the final go-head. Each party points to the other, and as they do so, the prospects of obtaining a prescription for medical marijuana seem to be further from reach. [continues 438 words]
MUSCATINE, Iowa - If Iowa supporters of medical marijuana find a sympathetic ear in the Iowa Legislature, it will be because of lawmakers like Jeff Kaufmann. Kaufmann, R-Wilton, who represents the 79th House District, together with legislative candidate Mark Lofgren of Muscatine, a fellow Republican who's running for the seat in the 80th District currently held by Nathan Reichert, D-Muscatine, attended a Saturday afternoon screening of the documentary film, "Waiting to Inhale," at the Musser Public Library. Lofgren took notes but offered no public comments. [continues 559 words]
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa lawmakers have called off plans to have a committee study the legalization of medical marijuana, saying such a decision could be made by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy noted Monday that an old state law says the board may set the rules, so there's no need for a committee. The Des Moines Democrat says the ball is in the board's court now The pharmacy board in February recommended the Legislature change the classification of marijuana. It noted that a decades-old piece of Iowa law already appeared to allow that, but members said the intent of the law was unclear. The board's executive director, Lloyd Jessen, said Monday that the board doesn't want that responsibility and needs direction from elected leaders. [end]
Our Position: Lawmakers ducking responsibility on medical marijuana After more than a year of study, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy in February unanimously recommended that the Legislature legalize marijuana for medical uses. The board also called for lawmakers to change the classification of marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule II drug. In announcing its decision, the board noted that a decades-old piece of Iowa law already appeared to allow that, but members said the intent of the law was unclear. [continues 373 words]
Patients, Doctors Groups Push for Medical Marijuana Research, Treatment CEDAR FALLS - As a local blues musician's CD plays in the background, a man opens a baggie of marijuana and rolls a thin joint. As he puffs, smoke wafts through the detatched garage behind his Cedar Falls home, and he visibly relaxes. But the man - who wouldn't give his name for fear of prosecution for marijuana possession - wasn't looking to get high. Instead, he claims the marijuana relaxes his leg muscles, which have been stiff ever since a spinal cord injury left him in a wheelchair nearly three decades ago. [continues 581 words]
From Sunset Park in Rock Island and Fejervary Park in Davenport, from bars, a convenience store and four houses in three cities, they dealt crack cocaine, police said. Five men - siblings George and Soevier "Nose" Granderson, Bruce Pugh, Lee Govain and Russell Cowan - all now face heavy federal prison sentences for their drug dealing in Rock Island, Davenport and East Moline. None was a stranger to police. At least two of them dealt for a decade or more. The case is just one of 82 from Rock Island involving repeat-offender drug dealers or gun-toters prosecuted in federal court since 2006. Davenport police say at least 150 of their cases since 2005 resulted in federal convictions. Dozens more are pending or under investigation. [continues 1252 words]
Professor Offers Pros and Cons About Medical Marijuana It has become one of the most burning issues in the country, as far as legalization. And Iowa is among the states debating benefits and drawbacks of medicinal marijuana. Ronald Herman, associate professor and director of the Iowa Drug Information Network, was on hand Monday at the Marshalltown Noon Lions Club to give a presentation entitled "Medical Marijuana: Evaluation of the Evidence." Because of his years of experience, he was asked by the The Iowa Board of Pharmacy to look into medical evidence associated with the use of marijuana. [continues 640 words]
The process wasn't reckless. The Iowa Pharmacy Board in 2008 declined to consider medical marijuana use, but relented when the American Civil Liberties filed a lawsuit requesting a public discussion. A state court judge said the pharmacy board must respond to the request for consideration. So the board held four public forums on the issue, drawing hundreds of comments and concerns. Among them were legitimate concerns about how unregulated medicinal marijuana could show up in illicit drug trade. But that wasn't the question before the board. [continues 263 words]
The craze came to Quadsville after the Iowa Board of Pharmacy recommended Wednesday that the state legislature reclassify marijuana and appoint a task force to study medicinal uses of the drug. That's good news for those suffering from cancer, glaucoma, AIDS and other conditions that could benefit from a prescribed toke, although legislative leaders have shown little interest in taking up the issue before they recess next month. In a Quadsville daily poll, 71 percent of the 180 respondents were in favor of legalizing marijuana, not just for medical purposes, but for recreational use by anyone over age 18. [continues 379 words]
The Iowa Board of Pharmacy's recommendation on Wednesday to simultaneously reclassify marijuana and create a body to oversee the possible legalization of the plant for medical use is commendable and realistic. Iowa legislators -- and other states -- should take note. The board voted unanimously to recommend shifting marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance to Schedule II -- a switch that would recognize the potential medical benefits and open the door for possible legalization. While the legislation needed to change the plant's categorization likely won't come until next year at the earliest, the decision is still a major victory for Iowans who tout the medical benefits of the drug. [continues 402 words]
On Wednesday, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy voted unanimously to recommend state lawmakers reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule II. That could lead to Iowans legally using pot for medicinal purposes. The board also suggested establishing a task force to implement a medical marijuana program. The recommendations came on the heels of the release of a Des Moines Register Iowa Poll, which found 64 percent of Iowans favor allowing people to use marijuana as medicine. Many Iowans think it makes sense to allow those suffering from AIDS, cancer or other debilitating conditions to have access to a drug that may alleviate symptoms. [continues 425 words]
Officials from the Iowa Board of Pharmacy voted unanimously to recommend that the state Legislature legalize the use of medical marijuana on Wednesday. The proposal would reduce marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule II, classifying the drug as presenting the potential for abuse but also having acceptable medical uses. If the suggestion passes through the Legislature, the Board of Pharmacy would become the nation's first such organization to back medical marijuana use. Lloyd Jessen, the director of Iowa's Board of Pharmacy, said because a state agency made the recommendations, a legalization bill cannot be filed until next year at the earliest. [continues 404 words]
Area medical care givers and law enforcement are taking a wait-and-see approach to a recommendation to legalize marijuana for medical uses from a state board. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy unanimously voted Wednesday to ask the Legislature to take action to legalize the drug for medical use. It also called for lawmakers to change the classification of marijuana to a Schedule II drug, which includes substances such as Demerol, opium and morphine, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Web site. [continues 245 words]
DES MOINES -- The Iowa Board of Pharmacy voted Wednesday to recommend to state lawmakers they reclassify marijuana and set up a task force to study how to administer a medical marijuana program. A total of 14 states have so far approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes, with New Jersey recently joining the list. The board last year held a series of meetings around the state to garner public input and medical testimony on the issue. The board, made up of pharmacists and private citizens, brought up a number of practical concerns about allowing medical marijuana. Those concerns included not being able to control dosages and the potential for abuse, as well as problems distributing it. [continues 150 words]
Nearly two-thirds of Iowans think patients should be allowed to use marijuana as medicine if their doctors approve, a new Iowa Poll shows. However, fewer than a third of Iowans want to make the drug legal for people who just want to get high, the poll shows. Fourteen states have decided to allow medical uses of marijuana. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy plans to decide on Wednesday whether to recommend that the Iowa Legislature follow suit. Supporters of the idea say marijuana can relieve pain and nausea for many patients suffering from debilitating diseases, including cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis. [continues 813 words]
State regulators offered some hope Wednesday for people who want to use marijuana for medical purposes. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy voted unanimously to recommend legislators reclassify the drug in a way that could allow people to use it for pain, nausea and other symptoms from diseases such as cancer, AIDS or multiple sclerosis. If that happened, Iowa would join 14 other states that have legalized medical marijuana. But Iowans should not expect legal marijuana shops to open soon. Legislators probably will not consider the idea until at least next year. [continues 795 words]
Pot and meth are on the minds of the law enforcement agencies tasked with fighting illegal drugs. Chris Endress, director of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Enforcement Group, returned Friday from a week-long conference in Washington, D.C., where various agencies discussed drug-related issues facing law enforcement. Top on the list was medical marijuana, Mr. Endress said. High-quality cannabis now legal in some states is making its way into states where it is illegal, including Illinois. "We've seized hundreds of pounds of medical marijuana that's coming from California," Mr. Endress said. In 2009, about half of the Quad-Cities MEG busts were marijuana, and much of that was high-grade medicinal cannabis, he said. [continues 504 words]
The Los Angeles City Council's vote last week to shut hundreds of so-called medical marijuana dispensaries was a welcome move, but the larger battle over pot has just begun. Across the country, lawmakers and residents of cash-strapped states are edging ever closer to legalizing -- and taxing -- marijuana. In California, the first state in the nation to pass a medical marijuana law, backers of an initiative to legalize the drug expect to gather enough signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot. And a Field Poll last year showed more than half of California voters would support such a move. [continues 783 words]
The boyish young man in the khaki slacks and brown sweater looks Warren County Attorney Bryan Tingle straight in the eyes and declares that his constitutional rights are being squashed. He tells Tingle from his seat in the courtroom that Iowa's legal system is treading on his freedom of religion, and on the freedom of science and medicine to explore treatment alternatives for the chronically and mentally ill. With eyes gazing intently through his curly black hair, he tells Tingle that he's not afraid of going to prison. And there's a distinct possibility that, within a few weeks, he could land himself there for five years. [continues 3518 words]
MASON CITY - People connected with the Community Drug Court in Mason City say the state is being penny-wise and pound foolish in cutting the program in light of the state's economic problems. "What's frustrating is that I understand that sometimes across-the-board cuts just have to be done," said Judge James Drew. "There is no other way to do something quickly. "But I don't think there is any question that drug court was saving the state of Iowa money, and more importantly it was literally saving lives," Drew said. [continues 599 words]
Lynn Erickson is horribly misinformed about medical marijuana. Erickson claims the medical marijuana debate is a ruse to end the prohibition on marijuana. It is not. Marijuana has a 5,000-year recorded history as an effective medicine. Research has shown that marijuana can relieve such debilitating symptoms as nausea, appetite loss, muscle spasms and certain types of pain. This evidence has been acknowledged by the American College of Physicians, American Nurses Association and many other health organizations. Even the American Medical Association recently urged the federal government to reconsider the classification that currently bars medical use. [continues 105 words]
State regulators have delayed a recommendation on allowing medical-marijuana use because Iowans have swamped them with opinions on the controversial issue. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy planned to vote this month on whether to recommend that the Legislature legalize marijuana use for medical problems. But the board announced Monday that it wouldn't make the decision until Feb. 17, when it will hold a special meeting in Des Moines. Executive Director Lloyd Jessen said board members must read through 12,000 pages of written comments. [continues 377 words]
Virtually Anyone Can Score Some at These 'Medical' Marijuana Dispensaries. DENVER -- Inside the green neon sign, which is shaped like a marijuana leaf, is a red cross. The cross serves the fiction that most transactions in the store -- which is what it really is -- involve medicine. The U.S. Justice Department recently announced that federal laws against marijuana would not be enforced for possession of marijuana that conforms to states' laws. In 2000, Colorado legalized medical marijuana. Since Justice's decision, the average age of the 400 persons per day seeking "prescriptions" at Colorado's multiplying medical marijuana dispensaries has fallen precipitously. Many new customers are college students. [continues 544 words]
Marni Steadham of University of Iowa Students for Sensible Drug Policy is to be commended for her eloquent challenge to Iowa Republican Sen. Charles Grassley (Nov. 14 Iowa View). Unless Grassley likes wasting tax dollars on failed government programs, he would be wise to heed her advice. The drug war is largely a war on marijuana smokers. In 2008, there were 847,863 marijuana arrests in the United States, almost 90 percent for simple possession. At a time when state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters and teachers, this country continues to spend enormous public resources criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis. [continues 112 words]
Our criminal justice system is in dire need of reform. The United States has 5 percent of the world's population, but houses 25 percent of the world's prisoners. With drug offenders accounting for half of federal prisoners and 21 percent of state prisoners, drug incarceration is a major cause of the burgeoning U.S. criminal justice system. Many of those serving time are low-level offenders with no history of violence. In a 2008 Zogby poll, three out of four Americans said the war on drugs is failing. This clear indictment of U.S. drug policy falls directly into the lap of Congress. As a whole, Congress has been hesitant to address the shortcomings of U.S. drug policy because of the perception that it is a controversial and politically damaging issue. [continues 505 words]
COUNCIL BLUFFS -- Jacqueline Patterson took a deep breath and stared straight out at the crowd. With stops, starts and pauses, she struggled to free the sounds that were hindered by a lifelong stutter. "I have been on many prescription medications," said Patterson, a 31-year-old from California. "Those did not assist me in controlling my stutter nearly as effectively as cannabis." The former Iowa resident has used marijuana off and on since she was 14 to treat her stutter and cerebral palsy symptoms. [continues 585 words]
Reed Prior kneels along the sidewalk with a gallon can, dabs his brush in yellow paint, and slides the bristles over the curb. Customers breeze out of the Des Moines hardware store, past the "Wet Paint" sign and the 59-year-old who was supposed to die in prison. Nearly eight months have passed since Prior rejoined the world, drug-free, and hugged his dying father. Eight months since he began the quiet, sober, 9-to-5 life that eluded him for decades. [continues 2024 words]
Our esteemed Editorial Board -- of which I am a member -- advocated medical marijuana's legalization on Oct. 9. In an interview with Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, he talked with passion about the need to legalize medical marijuana but hesitated to support recreational use. He said Iowa was not ready to legalize recreational marijuana, and the Editorial Board agreed. I agree Iowa should legalize medical marijuana, but only because everyone should be able to use it. That's not to say I believe marijuana has limited medicinal benefits. In fact, I have very personal reasons to advocate medical marijuana use. My mother suffers from glaucoma and has terrible headaches from the pressure. Many times she goes without sleep from the pain and takes large doses of ibuprofen to little avail. She hesitates (rightly so) to take stronger medication because of adverse effects. Marijuana is known to reduce glaucoma pressure and could effectively treat my mother's ailments. [continues 417 words]
Regarding your Oct. 9 editorial, if health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been counterproductive at best. Marijuana prohibition has failed miserably as a deterrent. The United States has higher rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where possession of marijuana is decriminalized. Students who want to help end the inter-generational culture war otherwise known as the war on some drugs should contact Students for Sensible Drug Policy at www.SchoolsNotPrisons.com. Robert Sharpe policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy [end]
A national drug-prevention group has offered assistance to West Des Moines police and school officials in the wake of suspensions handed out to teenagers who allegedly inhaled compressed gas last week. Alyssa Jones of the Alliance for Consumer Education in Washington, D.C., said the group will provide free inhalant abuse prevention kits for inclusion on the district's twice-yearly drug-education program. Lynn Doescher, whose 14-year-old son, a student at Valley Southwoods freshman school, was among four teens suspended, warned the public about the practice this week. Called "huffing" or "dusting," it delivers a concentration of gas, such as Freon, that replaces oxygen in the lungs. It triggers a brief but intense high that mimics drunkenness. [continues 69 words]
Larry Quigley said he has tried all manner of treatment since suffering a spinal cord injury 28 years ago without success, which has meant a life in a wheelchair. It wasn't until his birthday this past April, however, that he smoked marijuana and first discovered its medicinal effects. While other prescribed drugs had clouded his mind, he said, marijuana quelled the pain and spasms without the side effects. Quigley called on officials from the Iowa Board of Pharmacy to take steps toward the legalization of medical marijuana Wednesday at a public hearing at the University of Iowa's Bowen Science Building. [continues 533 words]
Crawfordsville, Iowa, resident Lisa Jackson had been taking a wide assortment of opiates before she experienced what she called a two-week overdose. Not that she'd noticed it; she was in too much pain. Jackson suffers from fibromyalgia, a chronic condition causing extreme body pain and fatigue. The opiates, legally prescribed painkillers, could not ease her pain, she said. Jackson contemplated suicide until she tried marijuana -- which, she said, eased her pain in a way the opiates couldn't. Her testimony is not unique. Many people suffering from chronic conditions -- including several at Wednesday's Iowa Pharmacy Board's medical-marijuana hearing in Iowa City -- have testified about marijuana's benefits. Many studies also affirm their sentiment. [continues 494 words]
A medical marijuana hearing Wednesday in Iowa City provided a platform for those in favor of legalizing the substance for medicinal purposes. The overwhelming majority of testifiers supported the medical-marijuana cause, with few offering any opposing views. Patients with chronic pain, doctors, a former drug prosecutor, and Iowa City residents partially made up the crowd and spoke before the Iowa Board of Pharmacy. The bulk of those who testified noted the medical benefits marijuana would provide to suffering patients and contended it would be a good replacement for powerful prescription narcotics. [continues 417 words]
Iowa's lawmakers must do the compassionate thing and legalize marijuana for medical use. This drug is no cure-all, but there has been enough tested research detailing its benefits to convince us that it has positive health benefits and a legitimate place in a patient's spectrum of care. What ultimately sold us was the testimony of those who spoke Wednesday at the medical marijuana hearing sponsored by the Iowa Pharmacy Board. The folks who stood up weren't looking for a loophole to legitimize their habit. These were multiple sclerosis patients who had found symptom relief and sufferers of chronic nausea who finally had a way to enjoy a meal like other people. These were real people who had found real solutions to health problems which in some cases had dogged them for years. [continues 428 words]
MASON CITY — Robin Mahnesmith said he is not lying — there are medical benefits of marijuana use. Mahnesmith, 48, of Mason City, was one of several Iowans who pleaded their case for the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes Wednesday at a public hearing of the Iowa Pharmacy Board in Mason City. I'm not a liar," Mahnesmith told the Pharmacy Board. "It's a fact. My symptoms are so much less and my mind is so much easier (when taking marijuana). I don't just have to sit and think about this rotten disease I have." [continues 573 words]
I'm not sure who I expected to see testify for legalizing medical marijuana at last week's public hearing. But I confess, some Woodstock-type images crossed my mind. You know: Deadheads in tie-dye, mellow and giggly, and looking for munchies. I also expected proponents to use this as the first step toward recreational legalization. But no one was building a general pot-legalization case in Wednesday's testimony before the Iowa Pharmacy Board. People were talking about illness. [continues 525 words]
DES MOINES - A parade of Iowans touted the medical benefits of marijuana at a hearing before the Iowa Board of Pharmacy today, which is seeking scientific input on medical marijuana use. Robert Manke of Des Moines told the board that using marijuana helps with severe nausea and pain from migraine headaches and the results of severe car accidents. "I'm not here because I want to get high; I'm here because I want to stop being sick, and I want to stop being persecuted, and I need your help," Manke said. [continues 417 words]
Medical-marijuana advocates urged state regulators today to let patients use the drug to treat pain and nausea. "I know what it's like to crawl around on the bathroom floor like an animal in the morning, vomiting with my head in the stool," he said. "I need your help. I'm not here because I want to get high. I'm here because I want to stop being sick. And I want to stop being persecuted." Manke was part of a string of witnesses at a medical-marijuana hearing held by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy. The board plans to hold four such hearings around the state, then make a recommendation to legislators about whether Iowa should join 13 other states in legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. [continues 319 words]
Residents Will Get Chance to Weigh in During Hearings A lawsuit, a piece of legislation and a series of hearings in front of Iowa's drug board have heated up the debate about the possibility of Iowa becoming the 14th state to legalize medical marijuana. One of the top proponents is Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City. Sitting in an eatery Tuesday in downtown Iowa City, Bolkcom flipped though a stack of e-mails. One was from a 58-year-old man with multiple sclerosis who is wheelchair bound; another was a 29-year-old receiving dialysis for kidney failure who experiences steady pain and no appetite. Another was from a 42-year-old woman with four kids who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and has been legally disabled for two and a half years. [continues 299 words]
About 21 years have gone by since George McMahon landed in the University of Iowa hospital. He was suffering from kidney failure, a fractured spine, nausea and extreme pain. Doctors had not yet discovered the root of his problems, a rare genetic disorder called nail-patella syndrome. But they told him one thing: He probably wouldn't live through the night. That evening, McMahon smoked a joint -- given to him by someone visiting an ailing cancer patient -- with the thought "Why not?" Later that night, he was able to eat. Ten days later, he left the hospital. [continues 955 words]
DES MOINES --- Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, 53-year-old Barbara Douglass can no longer walk and uses a scooter. But she has found one way to cope with a condition she calls "ungodly and terrible" and to steady her shaking hands --- smoking marijuana. "It doesn't make it better, but it makes it easier," said Douglass, who also is legally blind. Douglass, of Lakeside, is one of two Iowans who are part of federal program that allows them to smoke marijuana legally for their medical conditions. Each month, Douglass gets a can of pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes from her doctor. She finds she is more active after smoking it. [continues 1018 words]
DES MOINES - Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, 53-year-old Barbara Douglass can no longer walk and uses a scooter. But she has found one way to cope with a condition she calls "ungodly and terrible" and to steady her shaking hands - smoking marijuana. "It doesn't make it better, but it makes it easier," said Douglass, who also is legally blind. Douglass, of Lakeside is one of two Iowans who are part of a federal program that allows them to smoke marijuana legally for their medical conditions. Each month, Douglass gets a can of prerolled marijuana cigarettes from her doctor. She finds she is more active after smoking it. [continues 1028 words]
DES MOINES -- The Iowa Board of Pharmacy has announced the dates and locations of four upcoming public hearings on medical marijuana. The board is seeking scientific evidence on the pros and cons of using marijuana for medical purposes. The board could decide to make a recommendation to the Iowa Legislature based on the information gathered at the hearings. The first hearing is set for Aug. 19 in Des Moines. The hearing will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Iowa State Historical Building. [continues 134 words]
The Iowa Board of Pharmacy has given the green light to a series of public hearings about the use of medical marijuana. Four such hearings, including one in Mason City, will be held from August through November. Dates have not been announced. This follows a growing trend around the United States as lawmakers and government officials re-examine laws governing marijuana use. The drug once thought used only by dropouts is gaining new respectability. Legalized marijuana, at least for medical purposes, is not as taboo as one might think. Marijuana use for medical purposes is legal in 13 states. That's 13 state legislatures that have decided that there's enough scientific evidence to back up the claim that marijuana has beneficial uses. [continues 328 words]
Iowa is about to explore whether sick residents should be allowed to use marijuana to treat health problems, including pain and nausea. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy, which regulates pharmacy practices and the distribution of prescription drugs, has voted unanimously to hold public hearings around the state. Though the Iowa Legislature would have to approve any changes to the law regarding the medical use of marijuana, the pharmacy board deserves credit for initiating a statewide conversation. Iowans should pay attention and get involved. The meetings are this state's opportunity to examine the scientific research and opinions. This matters because at the end of the day, the use of marijuana for medical purposes isn't about being "soft on drugs" or catering to those who think it's their "right" to smoke marijuana. [continues 425 words]
Concerning the Register's story about a judge ruling that the Iowa Board of Pharmacy must examine whether marijuana has an accepted medical use ("Medical Marijuana Hearings Planned," July 22): I would think that there have been many studies done already that could be used to come to an unbiased decision. Past studies must have supported legalizing marijuana because you never hear of the results. I don't understand how pharmacists could not help but be biased. If people could grow Lipitor on a bush, the pharmacy people would say it should be illegal. [continues 134 words]
Iowans will get a chance to weigh in on whether patients should be allowed to smoke marijuana to ease pain, nausea and other physical ailments. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy voted unanimously Tuesday to hold hearings around the state on the matter. "This is an issue that has attracted and continues to attract a lot of attention, and appropriately so," board member Margaret Whitworth said. Whitworth said the board wants to hear from academic experts and everyday Iowans before making a recommendation to the Legislature. The hearings are to begin in August, but dates haven't been set. [continues 472 words]
It would seem that at long last a real discussion has emerged over the decriminalization of marijuana. The inevitable debate over policy, taxation and implementation will take years to hammer out. But make no mistake, at long last pot will become legal. The impetus of the debate no doubt has to do with the aging baby-boomer generation coming to terms with the reality of its youth. We know who we are, we know we tried pot, we know that after trying it we did not turn to heroin. We know that it did not stop us from becoming productive citizens. U.S. presidents have smoked it. We no longer feel it prevents them from serving in that high office. [continues 90 words]
DES MOINES - The Iowa Board of Pharmacy on Monday again rejected the arguments of advocates who want to allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes, saying they failed to present sufficient evidence. Those advocates had asked the board to recommend that marijuana be removed from what is known as a schedule 1 classification. They argued that marijuana no longer met that classification's criteria of having no accepted use in medical treatments in the United States. The advocates for medicinal marijuana use argued that the drug is now legally used for medical purposes in 13 states. They took the board to court last year after the board refused to review marijuana's classification. [continues 260 words]
Inside Iowa
