State Representative Dan Huseman Applauds 96-3 Cannabidiol Vote, Says House Is Following Advisory Board Advice While Advisory Board Pot Doc Dr. Wendy Zadeh Resigns In Protest

This is truly interesting. A seemingly innocent issue of miscommunication seems to have lead an Iowa marijuana doctor to resign from the marijuana advisory board, a sad loss, as Dr. Zadeh is well respected in the medical community in the Des Moines area and beyond.

Representative Dan Huseman said the House took advice from the advisory board to expand the program, but even though the House is not obligated to follow advice, Dr. Zadeh resigned saying the House is not following board advice after all.

Here’s the latest from Representative Dan Huseman’s update in the Storm Lake Pilot Tribune:

“A few years ago, the Legislature passed a bill that expanded Iowa’s medical marijuana program to allow the growing, producing, and distributing of cannabidiol (CBD) in Iowa and added to the list of conditions that are eligible for treatment with CBD. As part of that legislation, a board of medical professionals and law enforcement was created and tasked with reviewing research and studies to help guide the Legislature in policy discussions related to CBD. They are also able to add new medical conditions to the approved list through administrative rule. This ensures that medical determinations are being made by medical experts, not politicians. The board has already expanded the list of qualifying conditions since the law went into effect. This session, the board has provided us with additional ways that we can move forward and improve our CBD program to help Iowans suffering from debilitating medical issues.

“House File 732 creates more access to CBD for sick Iowans and updates the law to reflect common medical terminology. The provisions of the bill are recommendations that came directly from the Medical Cannabidiol Board. These recommendations are based on science and research, rather than anecdotal stories or emotion.

“The bill would allow additional medical professionals to recommend CBD for a patient, such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners. This makes it easier for sick Iowans in rural parts of the state to access a health care provider that is able to recommend CBD as a treatment. The bill also removes the 3 percent THC cap and replaces it with a 25 gram limit over 90 days, which is more in line with medical terminology. These changes would put clear boundaries in place to prevent abuse of CBD medications. Finally, the bill allows for compassionate, end of life care when a doctor determines that someone has less than 12 months to live through a waiver process. This would allow terminally ill Iowans, with a doctor’s recommendation, to request higher dosage levels from the Medical Cannabidiol Board to alleviate pain in their final months.

“This legislation continues to keep public safety at the forefront while also providing sick Iowans with relief. Law enforcement has been at the table during these discussions. Throughout the course of this discussion, House Republicans worked closely with House Democrats and medical professionals to find solutions. This legislation is a good step forward to ensure that sick Iowans are able to access evidence-based treatments that may help alleviate the symptoms of their condition.

Read full article here: Storm Lake Pilot Tribune

The House seemed to all be on the same page so I’m not sure what’s going over at the advisory board but other Iowa House representatives have said the same thing regarding the advisory board after last week’s 96-3 vote. More details surely will come out as this is cleared up and we move forward on the Iowa medical program.