Legislation was introduced this week in the Iowa State Senate that would legalize the medical use of marijuana for certain medical conditions.
The legislation (S.F. 2076), sponsored by Sen. Elaine Szymoniak (D-Des Moines), will protect patients diagnosed by a physician with having glaucoma, nausea related to chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis, hyperparathyroidism, nail patella syndrome and AIDS. The legislation calls for patients to obtain their marijuana from a licensed physician, surgeon or pharmacist. Unlike recently passed state initiatives, the legislation does not address personal cultivation, nor does it set limits on how much marijuana can be possessed.
A provision for a therapeutic research program is also included in the legislation. The program would provide research into other illnesses effectively treated with marijuana and allow for those illnesses to be included in the medical marijuana law.
“It is vital that the legislators in Iowa understand that by approving this bill, they are supporting patients who are suffering,” said Scott Colvin, NORML Publications Director. “This is a public health issue and not part of the war on drugs.”
The Iowa legislature joins Maryland this session by introducing a medical marijuana bill. Since 1996, California, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Maine, have approved voter initiatives to legalize medical marijuana. Colorado and Nevada citizens will vote on similar medical use initiatives in November.
For more information, please contact Scott Colvin, NORML Publications Director at (202) 483-5500. To view the text of S.F. 2076 please visit www.legis.state.ia.us/GA/78GA/BillHistory/SF/02000/SF02076.html.
