About

1986-1989

In 1986, Carl Olsen became a petitioner in the 1972 Marijuana Rescheduling Petition.  After hearings were held in several states, DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge Francis L. Young ruled, "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."
Cognition and Long-Term Use of Ganja (Cannabis), Science, Vol. 213, 24 July 1981, pp. 465-466
DEA Docket No. 86-22, Sept. 6, 1988, pp. 58-59
Federal Register: Vol. 54, No. 249, Friday, December 29, 1989: Denial of Petition.

1990

Iowans for Medical Marijuana was founded in 1990 by Carl Olsen and two Iowans who were receiving marijuana legally from the federal government, George McMahon and Barbara Douglass, to promote the federal government’s medical marijuana program.  George and Barbara are original directors of Patients Out of Time, a Virginia based, national medical cannabis educational organization created in 1995.  Carl Olsen is an original member of the advisory board.

1991-1992

In 1991, the federal government began to phase out it’s medical marijuana program.  HHS to Phase Out Marijuana Program, Washington Post, June 21, 1991.  Marijuana for Ill is Curbed by U.S., New York Times, June 23, 1991.  U.S. Rescinds Approval of Marijuana as Therapy, New York Times, March 11, 1992.  Iowans protest with marijuana at Iowa Capitol, Des Moines Register, August 2, 1992.

1993-1994

As the federal government began to phase out it’s medical marijuana program, Iowans for Medical Marijuana began to lobby the Iowa legislature to legalize the medical use of marijuana.  A bill (Senate File 361) was passed on March 23, 1993, by a vote of 50-0 in the Iowa Senate, but at the last minute a substitution was made removing home grown marijuana and replacing it with marijuana confiscated by Iowa law enforcement agencies.

1995-1996

When SF361 reached the Iowa House of Representatives, it was died because it was too difficult to guarantee the quality of the marijuana.  An effort to revive the bill in the Iowa Senate died in 1995 because the Iowa Board of Pharmacy lobbied against it.  Group fighting for medicinal use of marijuana, Des Moines Register, August 6, 1995.

Permit allowing the use of cannabis on Iowa State Capitol property - 1995 PDF

Permit allowing the use of cannabis on Iowa State Capitol property - 1996 PDF

2006

In 2006, Iowans for Medical Marijuana was incorporated in the state of Iowa for the purpose of presenting evidence to the Iowa Board of Pharmacy on marijuana’s accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.  Both state and federal schedule I prohibit anything with accepted medical use in treatment in the United States from being included in the schedule I classification.

Certificate of Restated Articles 2024 PDF

Articles of Incorporation 2024 PDF

2008-2010

In 2008, the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (www.aclu-ia.org) and Patients Out of Time, assisted us in petitioning the Iowa Board of Pharmacy to find that the current classification of marijuana is invalid.

Iowa District Court - April 21, 2009 PDF

Transcripts of four state-wide hearings held by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy in 2009

Transcripts of four state-wide hearings held by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy in 2009

Iowa District Court - October 30, 2009 PDF

Iowa District Court - November 25, 2009 PDF

Iowa Board of Pharmacy - February 17, 2010 PDF

Iowa Supreme Court - May 14, 2010 PDF