There is Movement for Cannabis in Iowa...

So far in 2017, there have been four medical cannabis bills that have been filed, here in Iowa with another one expected to be coming out of the Senate this week.
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1. HF199:  A bill for an act relating to the compassionate use of medical cannabis Act, reclassifying marijuana, including tetrahydrocannabinols, from a schedule I controlled substance to a schedule II controlled substance, providing for civil and criminal penalties and fees, and including effective date provisions.
2. ​HF198: A bill for an act relating to the creation of the medical cannabis Act and providing for criminal penalties and fees.
3. HSB132: A bill for an act relating to the medical cannabidiol Act, making related modifications, providing for civil and criminal penalties and fees, and including effective date provisions.
4. SF205: A bill for an act relating to the medical cannabis Act, reclassifying marijuana, including tetrahydrocannabinols, from a schedule I controlled substance to a schedule II controlled substance, and providing for civil and criminal penalties and fees.

HSB132 - passed through the subcommittee today and would extend and expand the current Medical Cannabidiol Act. It is a huge deal that Representative Baudler (R), Chair of the Public Safety Committee  (whom had opposed medical cannabis and who is a retired State Trooper), proposed this legislation.  

This Bill would allow for private production, transportation and distribution of medical cannabis and would leave the University of Iowa to decide which conditions the cannabis could treat.  I personally applaud Rep. Baudler for taking this one HUGE step in the right direction. 

I would love to see the THC limit removed and for other forms of administration to come into play as oils can get expensive and adults need more oil per pound than a child. I also fear that limiting THC to just 3% is going to continue to fail the people this bill was meant to help - as many people need more THC and the full "entourage effect" of all the cannabinoids to gain pain-control and seizure control. 

If you missed the hearing today and didn't get your chance to share your need to the committee, you can always write to your Representative and ask for their support or contact the folks in the Public Safety Committee who will vote on whether to push this on through to the House for a vote.

The news article covering today's hearing can be found here. I sadly was unable to attend as Abram had blood in his ear this morning and I had to wait for the Doctor to call me back.  Many thanks to those of you who did attend and thanks to Tom for sharing Abe's story with the subcommittee.