Governor Branstad said he’s opposed to a medical marijuana program like California’s, while ignoring the fact that the Iowa Department of Public Health has recommended a program like New Mexico’s Medical Cannabis Program. 
As you may recall, Iowa State Representative Clel Baudler went to California in 2010 and lied about having hemorrhoids to get a medical recommendation for marijuana. The legislation being proposed here in Iowa, SF 2215, would require a doctor and a patient to submit an application to the Iowa Department of Public Health, which would then review the application to make sure it is legitimate. Governor Branstad is not being honest when he says Iowa’s medical marijuana law will be like California’s. Obviously, Governor Branstad would like everyone to think the legislation being proposed here in Iowa is like California, so he can set up a straw man argument and knock it down. Here’s what Governor Branstad had to say this morning:
Governor Branstad cites deaths from prescription drug abuse, but there are no deaths from marijuana. Branstad cites the abuse of prescription drugs, but fails to acknowledge that the extra protection provided in SF 2215 ensures that every application for medical use of marijuana is individually reviewed by the Iowa Department of Public Health before it is approved. A doctor will not be able to simply write out a prescription as we currently allow for extremely lethal narcotics. Marijuana’s safety record is beyond dispute. The Chief Administrative Law Judge for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration found that, “Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man.” DEA Docket No. 86-22, Sept. 6, 1988.
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