Here’s some of the media coverage. First article was most popular on Facebook.
KSCJ 94.9 FM REYNOLDS WILL NOT SUPPORT LEGALIZING MARIJUANA IN IOWA
Reynolds toured the MedPharm Iowa facility in Des Moines this past week.
The company grows and manufacturers the marijuana-infused products that are sold legally in Iowa as treatment for a limited number of health conditions.
Back in the spring the Iowa legislature passed a bill that critics said would have let more potent cannabis products be sold in the state — and Reynolds vetoed it.
Radio Iowa: Governor makes first visit to medical marijuana manufacturer
“I had not been there before to tour the facility and see what they’re doing,” Reynolds told reporters Tuesday.
This spring the Iowa legislature passed a bill that critics said would have let more potent cannabis products be sold in the state — and Reynolds vetoed it.
“We’re going to continue to work with the legislature and make sure that we look for opportunities to build on the program that we already have in place,” Reynolds said. “We want to make sure that it’s safe, reliable…compassionate… while maintaining the health of Iowans and so part of that is viewing the business.”
Marijuana — for medical and recreational use — will become legal in Illinois on January 1. Reynolds told reporters she will not steer the State of Iowa in that direction.
“I have made it very clear that I am not in favor of legalizing marijuana,” Reynolds said. “I believe they’re going to see all kinds of problems with that in the State of Illinois with that. I believe California is already experiencing some significant problems.”
Reynolds’ visit to MedPharm Iowa was not on her public schedule, but the company issued a news release afterwards.
Des Moines Register: Gov. Kim Reynolds visits medical marijuana manufacturing facility in Des Moines
Gov. Kim Reynolds on Monday toured a facility in Des Moines that manufactures medical marijuana, which could signal an openness to reviewing Iowa’s existing program after vetoing an expansion in the spring.
Reynolds said she based her veto on feedback from a state medical marijuana board that recommended reducing the scope of the potency changes.
“Ultimately, I believe Iowa must proceed cautiously to ensure that any expansion of our medical (cannabidiol) program is thoughtful and deliberate — particularly because Iowa’s program is in its infancy and the body of research that analyzes the efficacy of medical CBD is limited,” she said.
The veto is a blow to patients of the five-year-old program, some of whom have said the existing law is inadequate in allowing them access to drugs to treat their medical conditions.
“This is not OK,” said Karrie Anderson, a 47-year-old in Dallas County who has multiple sclerosis. She doesn’t use the existing program because she feels it wouldn’t help her, as the program is currently structured. “If you have compassion for people, you find a way to make this work.”
One day before the veto, activists who supported the latest legislation submitted a petition at the Capitol to lobby Reynolds to sign the bill into law. They said it was signed by nearly 1,600 people.
Investing Daily: Marijuana: Legal Week-in-Review
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) toured a medical marijuana manufacturing facility. Iowa is a “red state” with socially conservative voters, but Gov. Reynolds has made conciliatory remarks in recent days about marijuana, which remains illegal in her state.
Because Reynolds is a staunch Republican, her thawing attitude toward marijuana is significant and could prove a bellwether in the American heartland.
WeedPress: The Paper Trail 
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