Legalization on the Way in Iowa!

Legalizing medical marijuana is worth considering in Iowa

Globe Gazette editorial
Monday, July 27, 2009 12:06 AM CDT

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy has given the green light to a series of
public hearings about the use of medical marijuana.

Four such hearings, including one in Mason City, will be held from
August through November. Dates have not been announced.

This follows a growing trend around the United States as lawmakers and
government officials re-examine laws governing marijuana use. The drug
once thought used only by dropouts is gaining new respectability.

Legalized marijuana, at least for medical purposes, is not as taboo as
one might think. Marijuana use for medical purposes is legal in 13
states. That's 13 state legislatures that have decided that
there's enough scientific evidence to back up the claim that
marijuana has beneficial uses.

And what are those uses? Medical marijuana supporters say the drug can
reduce pain, reduce muscle spasms, relieve nausea and increase appetite
(no Cheech and Chong jokes, please). Supporters say cancer patients and
AIDS sufferers are among those who have drawn real benefit from using
this drug.

In a story published Wednesday, the Globe Gazette Des Moines Bureau
introduced readers to George McMahon. The Livermore man is a participant
in a medical program run by the federal government. Count McMahon among
the believers.

"It was a miracle cure for me, and I'm wondering how many more
people out there are just like me," said McMahon, who suffers from
spasms and nausea.

We don't see the legal use of medical marijuana as likely in Iowa
anytime soon. We're approaching an election year and candidates will
want to avoid as many hot-button issues as they can. The debates about
same-sex marriage could be rancorous enough without an attempt to change
decades of drug policy.

State Rep. Linda Upmeyer, a nurse practitioner and Republican from
Garner, is interested in hearing what medical marijuana supporters have
to say.

"I guess I don't think it's one of those political
`third rails,' " Upmeyer said in Wednesday's story.
"I mean, I think people can have a reasonable discussion about it
and either support it or not support it, but I think mostly, people need
to know more."

At this point, we are not ready to make an endorsement in this matter.
We believe that while Iowans have a right to direct their own health
care we're not sure if medical marijuana is as good as advertised.
We also worry about the social cost of the partial legalization of such
an addictive drug.

But we're willing to give this matter a listen. We think our readers
should, too. This should be a thought-provoking debate, to say the
least.

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