In January, a bill was introduced regarding Iowa’s medical cannabis program, allowing vaporized cannabis to be added to the state-approved Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products list. This bill was advanced out of a House subcommittee.
If passed, “vaporizable dried raw cannabis” would be included with the products available to Iowa’s medical patients.
Iowa’s medical cannabis program is one of the most limited throughout the country. Currently, the program only allows for tablets, capsules, liquids, topicals, vaporizable products (not raw flower), and suppositories.
Lucas Nelson, president of MedPharm Iowa, owns and operates Bud & Mary’s Cannabis in the state. Bud & Mary’s is one of two licensed medical cannabis manufacturers in Iowa. Nelson said in a statement that if the bill passes, the company will commit to lowering patient product costs by an estimated 50%.
He told the Des Moines Register: “This lowering of the costs matters for people. There’s a patient who visits us from just outside of Ottumwa. She suffers from chronic pain, as you mentioned. She can’t use insurance because insurance doesn’t cover medical cannabis, and hers, specifically, she uses these products to be present for her grandkids.”
Many Iowa residents have an interest in becoming medical cannabis patients. Many struggle with the initial medical card fees and the high price of products. With Nelson promising to lower product costs if the bill is passed, it would make medical cannabis more affordable and accessible for patients.
The introduction of vaporizable dried raw cannabis flower would be a big step for the state to allow the cannabis flower itself to be purchased and consumed by the state’s medical patients.
According to the official State of Iowa website, a resident may qualify for Iowa’s Medical Cannabis Program if their healthcare practitioner certified that they have one or more of the following Qualifying Debilitating Medical Conditions:
The website offers a petition to add qualifying conditions. If you are an Iowa resident considering medical cannabis but do not have a condition on the current qualifying list, consider adding to the petition to have your voice heard.
At the time of writing, Bud & Mary’s “Aliviar” products manufacture all medical cannabis in the state of Iowa.
There are the allowable forms of medical cannabis in Iowa:
The Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Advisory Board has requested that lawmakers create more regulations for medical cannabis. The board created policy recommendations, including licensing more state dispensaries, exempting medical cannabis products from sales tax, and providing more oversight on telehealth providers.
If the proposal bill is passed, “vaporizable dried raw cannabis” would be added to the list of products available for medical marijuana cardholders in Iowa.
This change would allow in-state patients to have more options when it comes to their THC products. Currently, the state is stringent on ways to allow patients to inhale cannabis – with most product options surrounding topical or oral forms.
Iowa is also known for its strong agricultural practices. It ranks first in the state for soybean, corn, and pork production. Allowing the state to cultivate cannabis for in-state cardholders could be a transformative move for the state’s agricultural businesses.
The number of medical cannabis patients in Iowa by the end of 2024 was right around 18,000. This is a slight dip from the previous year, with 18,230 registered Iowans.
Currently, House Study Bill 29 would add THC-beverages to the state’s open container law. This would make it illegal to have an open can of a cannabis drink in the car. If this bill is passed, the crime would be a misdemeanor with a fine of $260.
Senate File 46 would expand access to medical cannabis for Iowans. The request is to increase the number of dispensary licenses from the current five to a new total of ten.
Medical patients are eligible to purchase 4.5 grams of THC every 90 days. Patients with a terminal illness can submit a waiver with their initial application.
For patients looking to have a THC waiver completed, the waiver must be completed by the original certifying practitioner and then submitted to the Bureau of Cannabis Regulation.
If you are a medical cannabis cardholder in the state of Iowa, there are considerations around firearms. If you are applying for a permit or purchasing a firearm, it is required to disclose the use of cannabis and any other controlled substances.
Patients who own firearms should be aware of this disclosure if they plan to apply for a medical cannabis card and should consult an attorney on the matter.
Patients and prospective patients may contact the Iowa Department of Public Safety at (515)-725-6230 for more information.
First, your healthcare practitioner must complete a certification form. Then, you can apply online by scanning the QR code on your health care form or visiting the online registration page.
An Iowa patient’s medical cannabis card expires one year after it is issued. The patient must have their condition recertified by their healthcare practitioner each year.
Patients receive an email notice 60 days before the expiration. Once they receive it, they should schedule a consultation with their provider.
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