Iowa board of pharmacy considering medical marijuana

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy is now one step closer to making its recommendation to the state’s legislature regarding the use of medical marijuana in the state.

On Sept. 2 the board held the second open hearing in what it expects to be a series of four dedicated to receiving public comment, said Terry Witkowski, executive officer of the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.

Witkowski said about 30 attendees spoke during the meeting, with two speakers providing testimony against making medical marijuana legal in the state. There has been some pressure from state legislatures, members of the public, and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) to make marijuana legal for medical purposes. “We’re just gathering information right now,” Witkowski told Drug Topics. “No decisions have been made so far.”

The board will give its recommendation to the state legislature on or by Jan. 1.

It’s possible that pharmacists in the state could be greatly affected by a decision to allow use of the drug for medical purposes, but exactly what their role might be cannot be determined until the board's decision is made and the law is enacted.