This legislative session began with four proposals for medical cannabis programs, two in the Iowa Senate, one by Democrats (S.F. 205) and one by Republicans (S.S.B. 1176 / S.F. 506), and two in the Iowa House, one by Democrats (H.F. 198 / H.F. 199) and one by Republicans (H.S.B. 132), and two proposals to extend … Medical Cannabis and the 2017 Iowa Legislative Session
A variety of medical cannabis bills have been filed in the Iowa legislature this year. One, HSB 132, has actually passed in a Republican controlled subcommittee. The end of this week, Friday, March 3, 2017, is the funnel date when bills have to be passed by a full committee to remain eligible for further debate. … March 3 is the legislative funnel date
The Question Presented I’ve been asked to explain the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) decision on July 19, 2016, not to accept the Marijuana Rescheduling Petition filed by the states of Washington and Rhode Island on November 30, 2011. See Page 53688 of the Federal Register, Vol. 81, No. 156, Friday, August 12, 2016. My … Is the DEA wrong about marijuana’s medical value?
Attention has shifted from state legislation to Congress and candidates running for federal office. While rumors have been spreading around that the DEA is going to reschedule marijuana in July of 2016, on July 6, Congressman David Young became the first federal elected official from Iowa to co-sponsor H.R. 1538: the CARERS Act of 2015. … Attention on medical marijuana shifts to Congress
I live in an interesting Iowa House district. My state representative is a Republican. His name is Kevin Keoster and his profession is school administration. Another interesting character who lives in our neighborhood is Dale Woolery, Deputy Director of the Office of Drug Control Policy. As you can imagine, Kevin and Dale know each other … Ankeny Legislative Forum April 9 2016
Jon Gettman wrote an article in High Times Magazine by the title Pot Matters: The Rescheduling Trap, on Monday, February 29, 2016, detailing his attempts to have marijuana federally rescheduled. I was a petitioner in Mr. Gettman’s most recent attempt to have marijuana rescheduled, and I will share my perspective. The trap Mr. Gettman refers … The Marijuana Scheduling Story
I spent some time at the State Capitol this week attending a press conference for House Study Bill 607 on February 9 and a subcommittee hearing on the bill on February 17. I took a few pictures and made an audio recording of the hearing, but I forgot to turn on the recording device for … Massacre at the Iowa Statehouse
A new bipartisan medical cannabidiol act has been filed in the Iowa House, HF 2097, by three Iowa House Republicans, Tedd Gassman (R. Scarville), Larry Sheets (R. Moulton), Ron Jorgensen (R. Sioux City), and three Iowa House Democrats, Charlie McConkey (D. Council Bluffs), Scott Ourth (D. Ackworth), and Mary Lynn Wolfe (D. Clinton). As many … New Bipartisan Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Act Filed
Three Iowa Republican senators, Charles Schneider, Mark Chelgren, and Jason Schultz, have filed a stand alone marijuana reclassification bill in the Iowa Senate, SF 2025, this week. Two previous bills, SSB 1205 and SF 282, that would do the same thing were filed separately by two Iowa Democratic senators, Steven Sodders and Joe Bolkcom, in … Iowa Republican Senators File Marijuana Reclassification Bill
This is an update to my two previous articles: January 11, 2015: Pharmacy Board Denies My Petition Again November 16, 2015: Iowa Board of Pharmacy Legislative Proposals for 2016 On January 14, 2015, the Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP) made changes to the Iowa Board of Pharmacy (IBPE) legislative proposal for 2015, without notifying … Iowa Board of Pharmacy Open Records Request 2015