Odds long for medical marijuana, Bolkcom says
By JENNIFER JACOBS • jejacobs@dmreg.com • March 11, 2009


Despite passionate pleas Tuesday for the state to allow restricted use of marijuana for pain and nausea relief, a key lawmaker stressed that the idea will go no further this legislative session.

"There is a long way to go, I must say," said Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, of Senate File 293.

The bill calls for new, not-for-profit facilities called "compassion centers" to acquire, cultivate and deliver marijuana and related supplies to qualifying patients. They would include those diagnosed by a practitioner as having cancer, Lou Gehrig's disease or certain chronic illnesses.

Paul Peterson of Storm Lake said after his 96-year-old mother, Ann Peterson Pyle, developed symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in 2002, Peterson gave her marijuana tea to sip.

"She said within 20 minutes the fog was gone," he said. "She's still driving and she's still cooking and she's looking for a dance partner."

Terry Mitchell, 55, of Dexter said he has degenerative disc disease in three parts of his spine. He gets disability payments of $650 a month. "I want to go back to work," he told lawmakers.
With Bolkcom on the subcommittee for the bill were Sens. Jack Hatch, D-Des Moines, and Merlin Bartz, R-Grafton.

Stephen Erickson of Saydel told the lawmakers: "I definitely feel for those people that need it - and I say need it, not want it - for their medical use. ... But also understand there's a vast majority of the public that question, 'How are you going to regulate this?' "

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