Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Key Iowa lawmakers are pushing ahead with proposals to revise last year's law permitting marijuana oil for children with severe epilepsy and to consider allowing the use of marijuana for other medical purposes.
However, it's not clear yet how much traction the measures will have in the 2015 session because of a reluctance by many Republican lawmakers to embrace medical marijuana.
State Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, who has been deeply involved in the medical marijuana issue, said Tuesday he plans to introduce a bill within the coming weeks to address issues raised by families of children with severe epileptic seizures who are seeking to use cannabis oil, which is an extract of marijuana.
The families who lobbied for the law have said it is practically useless because it provides no legal means to obtain the marijuana extract in Iowa. They say most states that allow medical marijuana do not allow bulk sales to out-of-state residents.
"At this point, not a single family has been helped. So I think our work is unfinished," Bolkcom told the Des Moines Register on Tuesday.
The Senate legislation is still being drafted, but Bolkcom said it will include provisions allowing medical marijuana to be produced and dispensed in Iowa. He added that the legislation will also likely allow the use of medical marijuana for certain other medical conditions in additional to intractable epilepsy, but those are still being decided.
"The other issue is creating a medical panel that would determine what conditions are appropriate to be included in the plan. So the big thing is production, testing and dispensing here in the state of Iowa," Bolkcom said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Iowa lawmakers study changes for medical marijuana
Author: William Petroski
Contact: bpetrosk@dmreg.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: The Des Moines Register | DesMoinesRegister.com
However, it's not clear yet how much traction the measures will have in the 2015 session because of a reluctance by many Republican lawmakers to embrace medical marijuana.
State Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, who has been deeply involved in the medical marijuana issue, said Tuesday he plans to introduce a bill within the coming weeks to address issues raised by families of children with severe epileptic seizures who are seeking to use cannabis oil, which is an extract of marijuana.
The families who lobbied for the law have said it is practically useless because it provides no legal means to obtain the marijuana extract in Iowa. They say most states that allow medical marijuana do not allow bulk sales to out-of-state residents.
"At this point, not a single family has been helped. So I think our work is unfinished," Bolkcom told the Des Moines Register on Tuesday.
The Senate legislation is still being drafted, but Bolkcom said it will include provisions allowing medical marijuana to be produced and dispensed in Iowa. He added that the legislation will also likely allow the use of medical marijuana for certain other medical conditions in additional to intractable epilepsy, but those are still being decided.
"The other issue is creating a medical panel that would determine what conditions are appropriate to be included in the plan. So the big thing is production, testing and dispensing here in the state of Iowa," Bolkcom said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Iowa lawmakers study changes for medical marijuana
Author: William Petroski
Contact: bpetrosk@dmreg.com
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: The Des Moines Register | DesMoinesRegister.com
