Iowa Legislature fails medical marijuana patients

Iowa's legislative session ended Tuesday, and its medical marijuana bill died in a subcommittee. Sadly, seriously ill Iowa residents will continue to be treated as criminals for using their medicine—until legislators have the courage and compassion to act.

It is time to change the way Iowa treats these patients. Please urge your legislators to support medical marijuana next session: Only you can convince them that this issue is vital to Iowa residents.

Please take a few moments to Take Action. After you choose your favorite pre-written letter and type in your address, our site will automatically e-mail your letter to your legislators … all with the click of a few buttons. The whole process takes less than two minutes, but it makes a world of difference. Also, you can print the letters and send them to your legislators through regular mail.

If Iowa enacts a medical marijuana bill, it will join a growing number of medical marijuana states: Eight states currently protect medical marijuana patients from arrest and imprisonment. In 2003, MPP helped a ninth state, Maryland, pass a law that removed the threat of prison for the medical use of marijuana. Polls consistently show massive public support for this issue.

Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) had the compassion to introduce S.F. 234 last year, the first year of a two-year session. Sens. Jack Hatch (D-Des Moines) and Robert Dvorsky (D-Coralville) cosponsored the bill. But shortly after S.F. 234 was introduced, it was referred to the Human Resources Committee, which referred it to the subcommittee that never acted on it. Iowa legislators must learn that their constituents care about the fate of seriously ill Iowa residents. This cannot happen without your help. Please Take Action now.

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