Iowa: Please speak out at the Board of Pharmacy hearing in Des Moines on Wednesday, August 19

On August 19, as a result of the hard work of Carl Olsen in his rescheduling lawsuit, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy has decided to hold four hearings throughout the state in order to determine whether or not it should recognize that marijuana has medicinal value. After the hearings conclude, the Board of Pharmacy will make a recommendation to the legislature regarding the scheduling of marijuana and what further steps are necessary. MPP helped get S.F. 293, a medical marijuana bill, introduced in the first part of a two-year session and we will be mobilizing the community to support the bill in January 2010.

It is our job, as advoates, patients, and medical professionals, to make sure that the board knows that there is broad-based support across Iowa for allowing seriously ill patients to use marijuana for medicinal purposes.

If you live near Des Moines, please take the time to attend the hearing and share your thoughts on allowing the medical use of marijuana with the board. If you have a personal story to share regarding medical marijuana, it is even more important for the board to hear your voice. If other medicines do not give you proper relief from your medical condition, or if you or a loved one has used medical marijuana successfully, please come to the hearing to share your story.

When: Wednesday, August 19, 2009, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Where: Iowa State Historical Building (Auditorium)
600 East Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50309

What: Please offer your public comments urging the Iowa Board of Pharmacy to recognize the medical value of marijuana. Please share any personal stories or experiences that you feel comfortable sharing with the board. Each speaker is allotted 10 minutes, although you can try to request more time if you believe it will be necessary. You may request to speak at a certain time, or send in written comments via e-mail to Debbie.Jorgenson@ibpe.state.ia.us.

Here are some talking points about the medical value of marijuana in Iowa.  You can also check out our research page and our document for further information on the value of medical marijuana to help you prepare.  Also take a look at the Iowa Board of Pharmacy site. When at the hearing, please listen to the previous speakers, and try to present a different argument than the previous pro-medical marijuana speakers and to rebut the negative arguments of the previous anti-medical marijuana speakers, using our materials.

If you miss this hearing, there will be additional hearings in Mason City (September 2), Iowa City (October 7), and Council Bluffs (November 4). Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please pass this message on to other supporters, so that they too can speak out to protect patients who could benefit from medical marijuana.