Medical marijuana bill introduced in Iowa Senate

On February 26, Senator Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) introduced a medical marijuana bill into the Iowa Senate. This bill, S.F. 234, would protect seriously ill medical marijuana patients from criminal penalties.

This legislation would allow individuals diagnosed with certain conditions to possess and use marijuana for therapeutic purposes. It would also establish a marijuana therapeutic research program in the state.

Making your opinion known to your legislators is the key to passing medical marijuana legislation this session: Only you can convince them that this issue is important to Iowa residents.

Please take a few moments to visit 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.

Legislation similar to S.F. 234 has been introduced before, but it has yet to be passed. Under current Iowa law, physicians can prescribe marijuana to patients, but these patients are not protected from criminal penalties. People taking medicine need to be protected from imprisonment. If this bill is passed, Iowa will join the eight other states that responsibly protect patients from arrest.

For the full text of this bill, see Bills Pending.

Thank you for supporting the Marijuana Policy Project. Please tell others in Iowa about this legislation, so that more people can speak out for reform.