Dudes and dudettes, as well as all those very serious 420 folks in the Medical Marijuana community, we may have some very big news this evening. We think of Iowa as a midwest state heard from and focused on once every four years during the Presidential Primaries...that may be changing as the entire United States focuses in on the state, and their Pharmacy Board.
A Polk County judge has orderd the State Pharmacy Board to re-examine the classification of Marijuana as a Class One drug. In the small picture, such a review by the State Pharmacy Board, a ruling that Marijuana needs to be reclassified could clear the way for Iowa's elected lawmakers to make Medical Marijuana legal in the state.
However; in the bigger picture, this current court ruling, the potential ruling the Pharmacy Board could make creates what could be the FINAL SHOWDOWN in the Medical Marijuana fight...the DEA cannot let such a decision stand, would be left with no choice but to file suit to overturn the Pharmacy Boards reclassification, potentially creating a face off in the United States Supreme Court.
Court ruling orders pharmacy board to review marijuana classification Friday, April 24, 2009, 7:21 PMA ruling from a judge in Polk County could clear the way for Iowa lawmakers to potentially approve marijuana use for medical purposes. The ruling forces the Iowa Pharmacy Board to examine whether marijuana should continue to be classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under Iowa law. Attorney Randall Wilson argued the case for the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa. "What it does is it reopens the official discussion about marijuana policy in Iowa," Wilson said of the ruling.
Four petitioners asked the Iowa Pharmacy Board to review the drug's classification last year. The board ruled that the petitioners had to prove that the drug lacked a high potential for abuse before it would be reclassified. The ACLU of Iowa appealed the decision. Wilson says the judge's ruling only "unfreezes" the debate and does not legalize medicinal marijuana use in the state. "Only the legislature can make that decision ultimately," Wilson said. "The (pharmacy) board can't move marijuana from Schedule One, but the legislature told the board...when a substance no longer meets the criteria for being in Schedule I, you will recommend to us that it will be placed somewhere else."
Currently, under Iowa law, narcotic drugs like opiates and cocaine can be prescribed for medical use. Wilson believes Iowa should join other states that have added marijuana to the list of drugs available for medical purposes. There are currently 13 states in the U.S. that allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes under a doctor's supervision. Wilson says the drug can help people that are battling such diseases as cancer and AIDS. "There are a lot of people out there who have very debilitating conditions that seem to be only served or helped by using marijuana," Wilson said. "In view of that fact, medical marijuana use is going to go on underground...it would be better to get it out in the open and have it supervised by doctors and established criteria for who really needs to be using marijuana and who shouldn't."
A ruling from a judge in Polk County could clear the way for Iowa lawmakers to potentially approve marijuana use for medical purposes. The ruling forces the Iowa Pharmacy Board to examine whether marijuana should continue to be classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under Iowa law. Attorney Randall Wilson argued the case for the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa. "What it does is it reopens the official discussion about marijuana policy in Iowa," Wilson said of the ruling.
Four petitioners asked the Iowa Pharmacy Board to review the drug's classification last year. The board ruled that the petitioners had to prove that the drug lacked a high potential for abuse before it would be reclassified. The ACLU of Iowa appealed the decision. Wilson says the judge's ruling only "unfreezes" the debate and does not legalize medicinal marijuana use in the state. "Only the legislature can make that decision ultimately," Wilson said. "The (pharmacy) board can't move marijuana from Schedule One, but the legislature told the board...when a substance no longer meets the criteria for being in Schedule I, you will recommend to us that it will be placed somewhere else."
Currently, under Iowa law, narcotic drugs like opiates and cocaine can be prescribed for medical use. Wilson believes Iowa should join other states that have added marijuana to the list of drugs available for medical purposes. There are currently 13 states in the U.S. that allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes under a doctor's supervision. Wilson says the drug can help people that are battling such diseases as cancer and AIDS. "There are a lot of people out there who have very debilitating conditions that seem to be only served or helped by using marijuana," Wilson said. "In view of that fact, medical marijuana use is going to go on underground...it would be better to get it out in the open and have it supervised by doctors and established criteria for who really needs to be using marijuana and who shouldn't."
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