The Iowa Board of Pharmacy held the last of four hearings Wednesday in Council Bluffs, allowing the public to testify about the prospect of legalizing marijuana for medicinal use in Iowa. Susan Frey, vice chair of the Board of Pharmacy, says the board won’t rush its decision.
“We have received copious amounts of information and each board member will receive all of that information and they will go through it,” she says. “We take this very, very seriously and it will be something that we spend a lot of time on and analyze thoroughly in order to make a good decision.” Iowa law currently classifies marijuana as a “controlled substance.”
Frey says she and the rest of the board hope to make a decision before the legislature reconvenes in January. Thirteen states have legalized marijuana for medicinal use. A citizens’ request prompted the public hearings in Iowa to explore the possibility of legalizing pot for medical reasons.