Iowa Democrat Claims Religious Freedom Bill Will Legalize Psychedelic — But Psychedelic For Religious Use Is Already Legal In Iowa

Senator Hoeg, a Democrat, argued during a hearing on Senate File 2170, a bill for religious freedom, that the bill would allow peyote to be legal in Iowa…but peyote, a Schedule I hallucinogen, is already legal in Iowa.

How can a Schedule I hallucinogen be legal in Iowa, you ask?

So, Senator Hoeg at minute 7 and 33 seconds of this video I made of the committee hearing on SF 2170 shows ignorance of Iowa law by claiming peyote isn’t already legal. Senator Hoeg, a Democrat, claims peyote “will” be legalized if this bill gets passed — showing that Senator Hoeg doesn’t know Iowa already legalized psychedelic peyote for religious users. Watch and listen yourself, then compare it to what the Iowa code says about peyote being already legal:

Senator Hoeg:

“The one thing we know, is if you vote for this you will be voting to legalize the use of peyote in religious practices. Maybe that’s something you campaigned on. Maybe that’s something you believe. But we know that because that was the case of Employment Division vs. Smith, that after the federal counterpart of this was passed, the court held no, we can’t prohibit peyote use for religious practice anymore. So, that is the one case we know that will affect Iowa on that.”

Iowa, however, already legalized peyote for religious uses! Senator Hoeg’s concern about peyote being legalized is absurd because it’s already legalized in Iowa.

See Iowa Code 124.204 Schedule I, § (4) Hallucinogenic substances, ¶ (p) peyote.  Peyote is exempt for religious use; Iowa Code 124.204(8).

124.204 § (4)(p): Peyote, except as otherwise provided in subsection 8. Meaning all parts of the plant
presently classified botanically as Lophophora williamsii Lemaire, whether growing or not,
the seeds thereof, any extract from any part of such plant, and every compound, manufacture,
salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its seeds or extracts.

124.204(8) Peyote. Nothing in this chapter shall apply to peyote when used in bona fide religious
ceremonies of the Native American Church; however, persons supplying the product to the
church shall register, maintain appropriate records of receipts and disbursements of peyote,
and otherwise comply with all applicable requirements of this chapter and rules adopted
pursuant thereto.

After Senator Hoeg falsely claimed peyote, which is already legal in Iowa, would become legal in Iowa if religious freedom was passed into law, Senator Garrett called his accusations about the bill ridiculous, and the bill passed by vote. Senator Hoeg’s debunked claim that peyote might be legalized is disproven by reading the actual Iowa laws, which already legalize peyote hallucinogenic ceremonies for religious use as shown here on WeedPress.

Resorting to extremism has been the Democrat way lately, from burning cities, to calling everyone they don’t like a terrorist, to targeting parents at school board meetings, to Clinton’s campaign being caught actually having spied on a sitting President. Extremism shown by Democrat Hoeg shown on a religious freedom bill, fear mongering that it would lead to legalizing a psychedelic substance, is a liars move — but this time the lie is easily debunked by pointing out that religious use of psychedelic peyote is already allowed by Iowa law.

It’s not unusual for lawmakers to not know the law, and it’s not unusual for Democrat lawmakers to lie to the public and stir up fear over even the smallest issue. That fear promoted by Senator Hoeg is another example of why Democrats, can’t solve our federal drug policy problems — Republicans, however, can.

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If Democrats have proven that they don’t respect the law, the truth, or public health and safety and law and order, then only Republicans will help us improve drug policy towards those values. The proof as always will, like it or not, be in the pudding. Sad to see yet another Democrat intentionally ignore doing basic research on drug law and policy before opening their mouth on the subject. They lied to us for years saying they would lead the way on drug policy and marijuana yet used us for votes while ignoring basic facts. This is but one example.

Not all Democrats will be so ignorant and uninterested in finding real life solutions to the drug policy issue, which is the biggest issue of my generation. But for Democrats, or Republicans, that don’t like the truth about which party is more to blame for drugs, well, that’s all just an irrelevant opinion when it gets down to working on changing drug policy. But if Democrats are going to be, year after year, lazy, and inaccurate, on what the law says about drugs in Iowa, somebody has to eventually say, get your shit together, Democrats! Bill Maher has been trying to say this at least.