City, county officials in Corridor support expanded medical cannabis program

DES MOINES - More than 100 city and county elected officials signed a letter to state lawmakers urging them to expand Iowa's limited medical cannabis program.

The letter, released Wednesday to the media, urges legislators to 'pass a bill that will allow for medical cannabis to be produced, distributed and possessed in Iowa for debilitating medical conditions.”

Among the officials who signed the letter were Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett, seven of eight Cedar Rapids City Council members and all five members of the Linn County Board of Supervisors. Iowa City Mayor Jim Throgmorton and officials from Coralville, Marion and North Liberty also signed.

'We believe comprehensive legislation will provide guidance to local officials so we can assist our most vulnerable citizens,” the letter says. 'We believe this will happen by bringing those citizens out of the legal shadows and deter illegal enterprises from taking advantage of them.”

The local officials joined other advocates pressing the state to legalize the production and dispensation of cannabidiol, an oil byproduct of marijuana that in many cases can reduce seizures caused by ailments such as epilepsy.

Iowa law permits residents to use cannabidiol to treat epileptic seizures, but it does not provide a way for residents to acquire the product. Most other states that produce cannabidiol do not sell to non-residents.

Critics say those hurdles make Iowa's cannabidiol law mostly useless.

The Democratic-led Senate has passed legislation expanding the cannabidiol program. A House Republican bill, which is similar but does not cover as many ailments as the Senate version, passed through a committee, but no action has been taken in weeks.

In a statement, Windsor Heights Mayor Diana Willits referred to a recent Des Moines Register/Iowa Poll that showed more than three-fourths of Iowans support the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

'We feel it is important as our communities' representatives to speak out on this issue, especially considering the lack of action on this bill over the last month,” Willits said.

Rep. Tom Sands, R-Wapello, who chairs the committee through which the House bill must pass, said he is waiting for orders from leadership.

House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, R-Clear Lake, said last week no decision has been made on the bill.

Corridor elected officials who signed the letter:

Cedar Rapids

Mayor Ron Corbett

City Council members:

Justin Shields

Scott Olson

Kris Gulick

Susie Weinacht

Ann Poe

Scott Overland

Ralph Russell

Coralville

Mayor John Lundell

Jill Dodds, City Council

Iowa City

Mayor Jim Throgmorton

Linn County

Board of Supervisors members:

Ben Rogers

Brent Oleson

Linda Langston

James Houser

John Harris

Marion

Kim Etzel, City Council

Will Brandt, City Council

NOrth Liberty

Mayor Amy Nielsen

Terry Donahue, City Council

Chris Hoffman, City Counci