Category: medical marijuana

Cannabis Oil Coming To Iowa

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad said that next week he will sign a bill legalizing the use of oil derived from marijuana to treat chronic epilepsy. This comes after the bill passed the Iowa legislature at the last moments of the session.

According to The Des Moines Register:

“The legislation requires patients with chronic epilepsy and their caregivers to acquire a registration card through Iowa’s Department of Public Health, per a written recommendation from a neurologist. The oil would have to be obtained in another state that produces it. The bill limits the amount of oil that can be in a patient or caregiver’s possession at any given time.

“Branstad said he supports the measure because of its narrow focus and applicability to a small number of people in need. He said that families with children suffering from severe epileptic seizures convinced him of the bill’s importance and that he believes the oil can help them.”

The bill is so narrowly focused that even Iowa’s anti-cannabis crusader Clel Baudler supported it. “I refuse to call it medical marijuana. It’s hemp oil. I hope it works,” he said. “Right here, right now, we have the opportunity to do something that is very good.”

Even if the further legalization of other forms of medical marijuana doesn’t take root here in Iowa, as it has in other states, at least this bill will provide some relief for some very sick children and their families now.

Iowa Mother Pleads for Her Child: Legalize Med. Marijuana

Here is a video that an Iowa mother posted on YouTube pleading with the state of Iowa to legalize medical marijuana to help her child. Marie la France tells the story of her son Quincy. At 5 months old he began having seizures. He’s now 11 and still suffers from severe epilepsy. Doctors have given Quincy everything from morphine to steroids to Zoloft, including drugs that have given him brain damage, in an attempt to control Quincy’s seizures. Nothing has worked.

In states that allow medical marijuana, it has been proven to help patients like Quincy. The oil from the plant is extracted and put into a liquid or pill, according to the video. WeedPress (where I first learned of this story) reports that the former chair of the Iowa Epilepsy Foundation testified in support of medical marijuana at the 2009 Iowa Board of Pharmacy medical marijuana hearings.

Knowing that this medicine can help innocent people like Quincy and knowing that far more addictive, dangerous and destructive drugs ARE legal and available from your pharmacist, ask yourself: Does keeping medical marijuana illegal really make any sense?

Please watch this desperate mother’s video here:

No doubt anti-cannabis crusaders like IA Rep Clel Baudler won’t be moved by things like facts, logic or compassion. Better that many children like Quincy should suffer from lack of medicine if it might keep one other citizen from using marijuana recreationally like a free person.

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” —C. S. Lewis

Clel Baudler (R)

Pro-Freedom Bills In Des Moines

Here’s a rundown of some good pro-freedom bills currently in the Iowa legislature.

Guns:

House Joint Resolution 6 would add an amendment simply stating, “The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed” to the Iowa Constitution, which currently has NO arms bearing protection.

House File 169 would allow people with valid permits to carry weapons to do so on school grounds. I talked about this bill at some length before it had been issued a bill number.

House File 57 and Senate File 96 provide “that a person may use reasonable force, including deadly force, and a person has no duty to retreat, and has a right to stand the person’s ground, and meet force with force, if the person believes reasonable force, including deadly force, is necessary under the circumstances to prevent death or serious injury to oneself or a third party, or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.”

House File 81 would require “the commissioner of public safety and any issuing officer (county sheriff) shall keep confidential the names and addresses of holders of nonprofessional permits to carry weapons and permits to acquire pistols or revolvers.” [Thank you to Between Two Rivers for bringing this one to my attention. Welcome back, stranded!]

Medical Marijuana:

A 2010 poll showed that 64% of Iowans supported legalizing marijuana for medical use with a doctor’s approval. Since pharmacies are full of drugs much more addictive and dangerous than marijuana, letting doctors prescribe marijuana to suffering patients seems like a no-brainer.

Senate File 79 would allow for Iowa patients with qualifying conditions to access and use cannabis for medical purposes with a doctor’s recommendation. Rep. Bruce Hunter also introduced a similar measure, House File 22, but it appears dead on arrival in the Republican-controlled House.

Food Freedom Bills:

Like many Iowans I buy my milk, pasteurized and processed, in plastic jugs at Fareway like God intended. But I think it’s stupid that the government treats people who want to sell or drink raw milk like they are engaged in the trade of child pornography or something. Butt out!

In the State Senate, Senator Kent Sorenson introduced Senate File 61 and 77. SF 61 would place a moratorium “on every state agency’s administration and enforcement of statutes and rules affecting the sale of unprocessed food in this state.” SF 77 deals exclusively with dairy and would allow dairy farmers to sell raw milk directly to consumers.

In the House, Representative Schulz has introduced House Study Bill 131, which would also allow raw milk sales.

Marijuana Bills Heading For Des Moines (Again)

After voters in Colorado and Washington state approved laws that legalized possession of regulated recreational marijuana, two Iowa lawmakers hope to introduce more modest marijuana-related bills here in the Hawkeye State. Iowa state Rep. Bruce Hunter (D-Des Moines) and state Sen. Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) are preparing to introduce bills which would allow medical marijuana with a prescription.

In 2010 the Iowa Board of Pharmacy voted unanimously that legislators should allow prescription use of marijuana.  A Des Moines Register Iowa poll at that time showed that 64% of Iowans supported allowing patients to use marijuana with a doctor’s approval.

Hunter and Bolkom’s bills will face an uphill battle in the 2013 session. House Republicans say they do not support the effort and Governor Branstad says he will veto any bill that would legalize marijuana in any form.

Perhaps opponents of allowing marijuana in any form are being influenced by the likes of Peter Komen­dowski, pres­i­dent of Part­ner­ship for a Drug-Free Iowa, and Steven Lukan, the direc­tor of the Governor’s Office of Drug Con­trol Pol­icy. “What we’re doing,” said Komen­dowski, “is send­ing a mixed mes­sage to our kids that some drugs are OK and some aren’t OK. If you know kids, it’s extremely con­fus­ing to them if you’re not on message.”

Lukan spoke referring to supposedly higher levels of THC in marijuana. “A good analogy I was given is that back in the ’60s, smoking a joint was like drinking three beers. You achieved a quick high that didn’t stick around as long,” Lukan said. “Today smoking a joint can be like drinking a keg.”

Long-time Iowa marijuana law reformer Carl Olsen takes both men to task on his blog:

“So, the mes­sage we’re cur­rently send­ing, accord­ing to these two, is that alco­hol is okay and mar­i­juana is not. Pre­scrip­tion drugs are okay and mar­i­juana is not. That mes­sage is exactly the oppo­site of what it should be. These intel­lec­tu­ally bank­rupt rep­re­sen­ta­tives of the legal drug indus­try haven’t made a step toward mak­ing alchohol and tobacco ille­gal in Iowa, or deny­ing access to pre­scrip­tion drugs. Alco­hol and tobacco, along with pre­scrip­tion drugs, are the biggest killers out there. Mar­i­juana has never killed anyone.

“So, the mes­sage, kids, is that you should drink lots of alco­hol and smoke lots of cig­a­rettes so you can get sick and use lots of pre­scrip­tion drugs. Got it? Good, now shut up and do what you’re told.”

Let’s hope that the forward momentum of the two states that just legalized recreational marijuana, as well as the 18 states that have already approved the use of marijuana with a doctor’s prescription, will allow Iowa to take the common sense step of at least allowing medical marijuana to ease the pain and nausea of select patients in our state.

"The Hemorrhoid" Baudler Cleared Of Ethics Violations

Demonstrating that government oversight of itself if usually a joke, the House “Ethics” Committee unanimously cleared state Representative Clel “The Hemorrhoid” Baudler (R-Greenfield) of any wrongdoing on Wednesday.  Baudler was being investigated because he admittedly flew to California and fraudulently obtained a prescription for medical marijuana in that state by lying about suffering from hemorrhoids and depression.  California authorities declined to prosecute Baudler, who didn’t take possession of the marijuana.

Iowan  Mike Pesce, who filed the ethics complaint against The Hemorrhoid, pointed out in an early February Des Moines Register article that “the state constitution denotes grounds for impeachment as the commission of any misdemeanor or malfeasance and what Baudler did violated the law of another state.”  And it certainly was malfeasance, which Dictionary.com defines as “the performance by a public official of an act that is legally unjustified, harmful, or contrary to law; wrongdoing (used especially of an act in violation of a public trust).”

State Rep. Scott Raecker (R-Urbandale), Vice Chair of the House “Ethics” Committee, explained to the Register why The Hemorrhoid’s malfeasance didn’t warrant so much as a finger-wagging from the group, before he rejoined the committee in hitting paddleballs.  “The committee’s jurisdiction is limited, [Raecker] said. They can only ascertain whether there was a violation of [Iowa Code section 68b or House ethics], and neither addresses a lawmaker who allegedly broke a law in another state or told a lie, he said.”  So, the House “Ethics” Committee doesn’t have jurisdiction over stuff like, oh, ethics.

We should not be surprised when government is less than ethical.  We should be surprised whenever it is ethical.  The legislative “ethics” police aren’t going to want to set any precedent that may be used against themselves later down the road.  Also, when you think about it, ethics is anathema to government in general.  Politicians are elected by winning popularity contests where they must lie more convincingly than their opponents.  If they win, they get to help run the government which is itself nothing more than legalized theft and coercion.  No wonder Americans from Mark Twain on have cursed crooked politicians and ethics can never seem to take root.

That age old cycle continues.  Having learned nothing, according to a Radio Iowa report, Baudler says the next time he’s out west, “you won’t believe what I’ve got planned.”  The House “Ethics” Committee slumbers at the ready for whatever it may be.

Clel’s Bogus Journey

An Iowa state representative who flew to California to fraudulently obtain a medical marijuana prescription, in order to  

Rep. Clel Baudler- Former lawman
turned petty criminal

prove “how asinine it would be to legalize ‘medical marijuana'” in this state, may land in hot water.  According to DesMoinesRegister.com, “Rep. Clel Baudler, R-Greenfield, is a former state trooper who says he hates illegal drugs. He wrote in an e-mail to supporters in October that he had gone to California, where he lied about having medical problems to obtain a prescription[.]  California law states that a person who fraudulently represents a medical condition to a doctor is subject to a $1,000 fine or six months in jail for their first offense.” 

Iowa medical marijuana activist Mike Pesce said, “I think he should be investigated and impeached.  If you read his e-mail he wrote while he was sitting in this Statehouse, he planned this crime. We can’t have lawmakers sitting in this Statehouse planning crimes.”

Clel chronicled his excellent adventure in an email to supporters.  While visiting his son in California, Baudler was able to get a medical marijuana prescription by complaining about depression, hemorrhoids, and an artificial left knee.  But in the email he admitted,  “I have never had an issue with depression, and to be honest, I don’t even know what hemorrhoids were [sic].”  (Take a long look at this guy’s picture above and ask yourself if you really believe that he doesn’t know about hemorrhoids.) 

During Clel’s bogus journey he met an assortment of characters that were unacceptably different than himself.  At one clinic Clel met a “security guard that had to weigh close to 110 pounds [and who] had ten earrings on and about his face and ears, and […] way over the legal limit on tattoos.”  (Judge not lest ye be judged Clel, especially when you just crossed state lines to commit prescription fraud.  Or perhaps a more fitting verse is John 7:24, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”)

If his encounter with the perforated security guard wasn’t distressing enough for him, the person who ultimately gave Clel his prescription didn’t even have the common courtesy to be an American-born white man.  According to Baudler he “was an oriental ‘doctor’ and only spoke broken English.”  Perhaps poor Clel should have considered taking his fraudulent business elsewhere.

What ultimately drove Baudler to his reefer madness was the fact that last year the Iowa Board of Pharmacy unanimously recommended allowing medical marijuana in Iowa after months of hearings.  A task force is set to report to the legislature in 2011 with recommendations on how to implement such a program.  Most people agree that any marijuana prescription program in this state would be far less permissive than in California. 

While most Iowans recognize that there should be some therapeutic uses for marijuana, Clel believes that “the ‘fight for medical marijuana’ isn’t for medical purpose [sic] at all, it is all about people just wanting to get high.”  While medical marijuana can help many who are sick or in pain, it is true that some people will abuse the system, just as they do with the prescription drugs already available at the pharmacy. 

If someone does fake an illness to get prescription pot, just imagine a supposedly free American ingesting into their own bodies a substance that Clel Baudler doesn’t approve of.  The nerve of some people!

With threats of impeachment and potential criminal prosecution against Baudler, most medical marijuana supporters wouldn’t mind seeing this overzealous drug warrior hoisted on his own petard.

Poll: Iowans Support Medical Marijuana and Gay Marriage

According to a recent poll commissioned by KCCI NewsChannel 8 (Des Moines), majorities of Iowans support both medical marijuana and gay marriage.

A clear majority of 62% of respondents said they supported legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. 33% said they were opposed to the idea, while 5% were unsure.

“I don’t think it’s any more hazardous or dangerous than any other medication, if it’s used properly,” Bob Lipert, who said he suffers from multiple sclerosis, told KCCI.

Also according to the poll, a slim majority of 53% said they supported marriage rights for same-sex couples. 41% said they were opposed.

“Iowans want their elected officials to focus on issues like jobs and education and really, those pocketbook issues, rather than focusing on divisive issues that are going to pit neighbor against neighbor,” said Justin Uebelhor of the gay-rights group One Iowa.

Bryan English of the Iowa Family Policy Center disagreed. Apparently referring to the fact that Iowa’s gay marriage policy was imposed by the courts rather than the legislature, English told KCCI: “When folks go to the polls next week and then in November, they will in fact support candidates who understand their Constitution and who will defend marriage.”

One Step Closer To Medical Marijuana In Iowa

In a victory for common sense, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy unanimously voted today to recommend that legislators reclassify marijuana from “Schedule I” (banned) to “Schedule II,” which would allow medical use with a prescription.

The Des Moines Register reports: “The board also recommended the state set up a broad task force, including patients, medical professionals and law enforcement officers, to come up with a way to safely implement a medical marijuana program.

“Marijuana proponents cheered after the vote was taken, but they acknowledged that hurdles remain before the drug could become available to patients.

“‘This is a big thing. This is momentum,’ said Carl Olsen, one of the measure’s main Iowa proponents. He said he didn’t expect legislators to consider the matter until next year’s legislative session.”

A recent Des Moines Register poll showed that 64% of Iowans support medical marijuana with a doctor’s approval.

If Iowa legislators soon pass a law legalizing medical marijuana, this would not only be a victory for suffering patients, but for states’ rights under the Tenth Amendment as well.

Regulators Delay Vote On Medical Marijuana

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy held hearings around the state to gather public sentiment on legalizing medical marijuana for prescription use. Sounds like they got an earful.

From the GlobeGazette.com:

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State regulators have delayed a vote on the medical use of marijuana until February after being swamped with opinions.

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy planned to vote this month on whether to recommend that the Legislature legalize marijuana for medical problems. The board on Monday delayed a decision until Feb. 17 to give its members time read 12,000 pages of written comments.

I’m not sure why this is even an issue, other than the inertia of seventy-some years of prohibition.

End The War(s)!

Excerpted from a post by Jeff Yager, one of our friends at Advocates of Liberty:

“One of the major news stories from the last week is that Barack Obama has decided that he will end the war in Iraq. Well, not really. Removing “combat” troops in Iraq is at least a step in the right direction, even if they are baby steps. This policy announcement mirrors what appears to be his stance in another war going on that’s closer to home and perhaps claiming even more lives than the one in the Middle East: The War on Drugs.

“Last week, Eric Holder announced that the raids on medical marijuana users would end. This could mark the beginning of the end for marijuana prohibition. However, if Obama’s Iraq War timeline is any indication at the speed at which he will be delivering his wonderful change, then I wouldn’t go looking for that new bong on Ebay quite yet.”

Read the entire article here.