"Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."

Welcome to
Iowans for Medical Marijuana

Attention!
Public Hearing - Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Special One-Day Board of Pharmacy Meeting
The Iowa Board of Pharmacy will meet in open session on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. to deliberate "Should marijuana be rescheduled under Iowa law from Schedule I to Schedule II." Visitors may observe the proceedings, but will not be allowed to ask questions. The meeting will be held in the shared conference room located at RiverPoint Business Park, 400 S.W. Eighth Street, Suite E, Des Moines, Iowa 50309.
From Lloyd Jessen
Monday, February 1, 2010
RE: New location for February 17 meeting
Carl,
Yes, we will be holding our meeting in our regular conference room where you have attended meetings in the past.  This change was made for the following reasons:
1.  The State Historical Building just informed us that "Cultural Advocacy Day" will be held there on February 17, which will be attended by many people.  There is concern that the building will be overly busy that day.
2.  The Board's deliberation of the medical marijuana issue does not involve any public debate.  The Board is meeting to discuss the results of the four public hearings and to review all the information that has been received.  The Board has no need to deliberate in a large public venue since there will be no testimony, no questions, and no interaction with observers.  The record in this matter is closed.
3.  We are currently under directives to reduce operating costs as much as possible.  The cost associated with holding this meeting outside of our building is a needless expense.
Our meeting on February 17 is open to the public.  Seating will be available on a "first come, first serve" basis.  We are not taking reservations.  We regret that our meeting room is not very large, but it is what the state has provided for us.  By announcing this today, on February 1, we have given the public ample notice of the change of location.
For those who can't attend the meeting, the Board's decision will be released to the media as soon as it is reached on February 17.
Sincerely,
Lloyd K. Jessen, R.Ph., J.D.
Executive Director
Iowa Board of Pharmacy
RiverPoint Business Park
400 SW 8th Street, Suite E
Des Moines, Iowa 50309-4688
(515) 281-5944
lloyd.jessen@iowa.gov
Iowa Caucuses - Saturday, January 23, 2010 - Precinct Saylor 1
Medical Marijuana Platform Resolution
Because,
January 18, 2010 - A recent national poll conducted by ABC News / Washington Post found that 68% of conservative, 72% of Republicans, 85% of Independents, and 85% of Democrats support the legalization of marijuana for medical use -
http://abcnews.go.com/images/PollingUnit/1100a3MedicalMarijuana.pdf
November 10, 2009 - The American Medical Association now concedes that research is being stifled by the federal government and the law needs to change to allow more medical studies of medical marijuana. The AMA recommended removing marijuana from its current classification -
http://americansforsafeaccess.org/downloads/AMA_Report.pdf
December 3, 2009 - The Iowa Board of Pharmacy is currently reviewing the legal status of marijuana and presented the question to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy -
http://www.nabp.net/cpes09.asp
February 17, 2010 - The Iowa Board of Pharmacy will hold a special one day meeting to announce its findings - http://www.iowa.gov/ibpe/
 
Resolved,
We Support Medical Marijuana
From Iowa Senator Joe Bolkcom
Friday, July 17, 2009
Medical Marijuana update
Medical Marijuana: Host Greg Shanley talks with Randall Wilson, attorney for the ACLU of Iowa, and George McMahon, petitioner to the Iowa Board of Pharmacy. They are seeking to reclassify marijuana for medicinal use in Iowa. Then, we talk with guests from Rhode Island and Michigan which have medical marijuana laws on the books. Then, State Senator Joe Bolkcom and Representative Clel Baudler discuss the likelihood that Iowa will adopt medical marijuana laws. (KUNI, ISDN – Des Moines, Phone, WSUI studio)
From Iowa Senator Joe Bolkcom
Monday, March 16, 2009
Medical Marijuana update
Dear Friend,
Thanks for the note regarding Senate File 293 the medical marijuana legislation.
Last week I conducted a sub-committee meeting with Senator Hatch and Senator Bartz on SF 293 a bill to allow a person with a debilitating condition and a medical prescription to legally obtain marijuana for medicinal use.
The subcommittee meeting attracted 35 people to discuss the bill. There were several people that shared their personal medical stories about Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, and Diabetic Neuropathic Gastroparesis (paralyzed stomach) and their experiences with powerful prescription drugs that do not address their pain and suffering. Some have experimented (illegally) with marijuana use and have found significant relief and improved quality of life.
The committee members agreed that the bill needed more work and would not move forward this session but that there remains a need to continue to explore this issue. Thirteen states have allowed the medical use of marijuana. Bills have been introduced in 14 more states this year.
I have been overwhelmed at the response to this legislation. I have received more than 90 emails from around the state including many detailed personal health stories from Iowans suffering with extremely difficult conditions and seeking relief.
I will be working with other interested parties on an amendment to improve the bill for consideration next legislative session. It would be my hope to see if there is support next year to make progress on this issue.
Thanks for writing to me. I am sorry for the general response. I have appreciated all the personal stories that have been shared with me.
I will stay in touch about any progress updates before we adjourn in April.
Sincerely yours,
Joe Bolkcom
S.F. 293 - Subcommittee Meeting - Tuesday, March 10, 2009, 2:00 PM
From Iowa Senator Joe Bolkcom
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Medical Marijuana
I am happy to bring forth this legislation, Senate File 293.
I share the belief that controlled use of medical marijuana will help treat many patients suffering from painful illnesses such as HIV, AIDs, Cancer, and Crohn’s Disease in Iowa.
There will be a subcommittee meeting next Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. on the bill. It will need to get more support before we will pass it in the Senate.
From Jimmy Morrison - Phone: (563) 260-6451 - Iowa Marijuana Policy Project
Friday, March 6, 2009
You can call all these Senators through the switchboard number listed below. The Senators listed are in the Human Resources Committee. Senate File 293 will be going to subcommittee Tuesday at 2 pm, so be sure to contact these Senators before then!
Senate Switchboard: (515) 281-3371
Senators in Human Resources Committee
Merlin Bartz
Nancy Boettger
Joe Bolkcom (Sponsor)
Bill Dotzler Jr.
David Hartsuch (Ranking Member)
Jack Hatch (Support)
David Johnson
Keith Kreiman
Herman Quirmbach
Amanda Ragan (Chair)
Becky Schmitz (Vice Chair)
James Seymour
Mary Jo Wilhelm
From Noah Mamber, Legislative Analyst
Marijuana Policy Project
P.O. Box 77492, Washington, D.C. 20013
P: (202) 462-5747, ext. 2025
F: (202) 232-0442
Friday, March 06, 2009
It's actually not a hearing, it's a Human Resources Subcommittee meeting. It's scheduled for next Tuesday, March 10, at 2pm in the Iowa Senate Lobbyist Lounge in the State Capitol Building at East 12th & Grand, in Des Moines and we encourage everyone who can make it to do so, and then to visit the offices of the other members of the committee, especially Chair Amanda Ragan, and encourage them to support SF 293, and ask that it be scheduled for a full committee hearing and vote before it is too late this session. If you are patients, you should try to educate the legislators that you meet on your stories and why medical marijuana, if it was legal in Iowa, would help you. Don't forget to dress professionally if you are going to go, and always to be polite and respectful.
From Jim Morrison - Iowa Marijuana Policy Project
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Lobbyists' Stance on SF293
Undecided Lobbyists
Karla Fultz McHenry - Iowa Medical Society (kmchenry@iowamedical.org)
Nicole Schultz - Iowa Pharmacy Association (nschultz@iarx.org)
Tom Temple - Iowa Pharmacy Association (ttemple@iarx.org)
Lynh Patterson - Iowa Department of Public Health (lpatters@idph.state.ia.us)
Frank Stork - Wellmark Inc. (storkfj@wellmark.com)
Michael Heller - Glaxosmithkline, Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (515.988.0592)
Paula Feltner - Glaxosmithkline, Susan Komen Breast Cancer Foundation (515.778.7230)
Lobbyists Against
Joe Kelly - Iowa County Attorney's Assn. (joe@iamha.org)
Susan Cameron - Iowa County Attorney's Assn. (camerons@netins.net)
Every review conducted by the federal statute that makes marijuana illegal has recommended legalization.
The first review, conducted by a commission authorized by the statute and published in 1972, found that, "No conclusive evidence exists of any physical damage, disturbances of bodily processes or proven human fatalities attributable solely to even very high doses of marihuana."
The last review, conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and published in 1988, found that, "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."
The Iowa Legislature passed a law recognizing marijuana as a medicine in 1979 and that law is now found in Iowa Code Chapter 124.206(7)(a)(2006).
Why is the Supreme Court of Iowa telling medical marijuana users they cannot present evidence of medical use to a jury? Here's why:

Iowa Marijuana Rescheduling Petition - May 2008 

Why is the Federal Government prosecuting medical marijuana users in states that have passed medical marijuana legislation? Here's why:

Federal Marijuana Rescheduling Petition - May 2008 

DEA Final Ruling - Marijuana Rescheduling Petition - December 2008 

IMM Press Release - December 2007

IMM Press Release - December 2008

United States v. Lynch - Amicus Curiae - July 20, 2008