Misinformed Terry Branstad on Medical Marijuana: “It came up before the Iowa Board of Pharmacy. They didn’t take a position.”

Governor Branstad appears to be misinformed as to what his state agencies are doing these days. At the 2012 GOP district convention, when asked about the unanimous 2009 ruling from the Iowa Board of Pharmacy that cannabis has medical value — made after holding four public hearings around the State — Branstad denied the vote ever took place:

Branstad: “I don’t know whoever told you the Board of Pharmacy said –”

Voter: “Well, the articles I’ve read –”

Branstad: “It came up before the Board of Pharmacy. And I think what they did is they just punted on it. They didn’t take a position.”

Video is linked below. Above excerpt begins at 2:59, but the whole discussion is worth a listen:

After viewing the video, Iowa Patients for Medical Marijuana Executive Director Jimmy Morrison made this statement:

“Apparently, Terry Branstad doesn’t know his own Iowa Board of Pharmacy unanimously recommended legalizing medical cannabis. Iowa Republican Governor Terry Branstad invoked the “socialist” word when justifying putting some of the state’s medical patients in jail. You might think he saw the issue as he does Obamacare, where government bureaucrats have no right making medical decisions for patients, but he sees medical marijuana a little differently. “We don’t want to be a socialist Europe. We don’t want to be a California. The whole state is a disaster.”

In 1979, 7 Iowa bureaucrats were given $2XX,XXX and the power to allow medical use. A recent lawsuit did not reveal where the money went, but it did result in the Iowa Board of Pharmacy’s unanimous recommendation for legalizing medical marijuana. Branstad is apparently unaware of this.

64% of Iowans support it, but they don’t have power. Branstad does. This is the problem with socialism and why it failed. Branstad isn’t smart enough to make my medical decisions for me. Unfortunately, he thinks he can, and he has the guns and cages. –Jimmy Morrison, Iowa Patients for Medical Marijuana

Iowans are publicly asking for medical cannabis, and they deserve a governor who pays attention. Follow WeedPress on Facebook for more. If you’d like your story heard by legislators this next session, email me at jkarimi2007@hotmail.com, or write to me on the Iowa Patients for Medical Marijuana Facebook page. You can remain anonymous if you’d like. I’ll publish your story here on WeedPress and make sure politicians see it next year.