Iowa medical marijuana bill introduced! Contact your legislators today

Iowa legislators have introduced bills in the past that would protect medical marijuana patients from criminal sanctions, but a modern bill has never passed both chambers of the Iowa legislature. This year, we have a chance to change that, and Iowa's medical marijuana patients need your help to do so.

For the first time since 2005, Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) has introduced medical marijuana legislation, SF 293, in the Senate. Please help us change history this year by urging your senator to support this comprehensive medical marijuana bill and asking your representative to sponsor similar legislation.

There is new leadership in the state legislature since the 2005 bill died, and MPP is funding a grassroots organizer. With redoubled efforts, we can make great progress toward protecting the seriously ill. Ask your legislators to stand up for patients and help pass these bills to protect all of our citizens, no matter what medicine they need to use. Also, please forward any responses from legislators back to me at NMamber@mpp.org so that we can inform the sponsor of other potential support.

All patients suffering from a condition that could benefit from medical marijuana, medical professionals, law enforcement, or clergy, please contact me at NMamber@mpp.org to see how you can be of special help in passing this legislation. Other activists can pitch in too by reaching out to supportive patients, medical professionals, law enforcement, and clergy and encouraging them to contact me. With all of your help, we will try to make Iowa the 14th medical marijuana state in the country.

The Midwest is ready for medical marijuana legislation. In November, Michigan's medical marijuana initiative passed with 63% of the vote, garnering a majority in every county in the state. Iowa's bill would protect patients treating their illnesses according to their doctor's recommendations from the threat of arrest and jail. It would allow patients to cultivate small amounts of their own marijuana, and would also provide a regulated distribution system. It would also provide certain protections for patients from discrimination in employment, housing, and child custody situations.

Currently, hundreds of patients continue to suffer, live in fear of arrest, and sometimes face prosecution and conviction. Others will not break state law and suffer needlessly because the medicine they know would work best is not allowed in their state. Sen. Bolkcom's bill would put an end to this senseless policy of criminalizing the sick. 

In this year of change, please urge your state senator and representative to join the growing national consensus and support this legislation so that Iowa medical marijuana patients can live their lives without fear of prison.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. And please pass this on to friends and family in Iowa so that even more voices for compassion can be heard.