The Board which oversees Iowa's medical marijuana program today denied a petition to allow the use of the dried marijuana plant known as "vaporizable flower." The petition request was submitted by medical marijuana provider Bud & Mary's, which was formerly known as MedPharm. Doctor Jacqueline … [Read more...]
State, federal officials consider increased access to overdose reversal medication
As state lawmakers consider making it easier for more Iowans to buy a nasal spray that reverses an opioid overdose, federal officials are considering rules that would reclassify naloxone as an over-the-counter medication, so anyone could buy it. Iowa law currently limits who may buy naloxone to … [Read more...]
Lawmakers combining plans from governor, attorney general on drug crimes
A few legislators are working to merge proposals from Iowa's governor and attorney general to boost sentences for fentanyl related crimes and make an overdose reversal medication more widely available. Dale Woolery, director of the Governor's Office on Drug Control Policy, said officials estimate … [Read more...]
New state campaign to focus on education about fake pills, fentanyl
The state is launching an advertising campaign targeting children, teens and parents to educate them about the deadly dangers of counterfeit pills and fentanyl. State Medical Director Robert Kruse says the two-fold messaging is designed to reach children as young as five years old, middle and … [Read more...]
Iowa court tells trucker Missouri medical marijuana not legal here
The Iowa Court of appeals has upheld a Missouri truck driver's drug conviction for marijuana he obtained with a medical card from his home state. Commercial truck driver Darryl Hurtt was charged with of possession of a controlled substance after an officer noticed the smell of marijuana coming … [Read more...]
National survey finds drugs in the systems of many Iowa drivers in accidents
A new study finds more than 45% of seriously injured drivers in Iowa had at least one drug in their system. Tim Brown is the director of Drugged Driving Research at the National Advanced Driving Simulator at the University of Iowa. Brown says the study will help better direct messaging to prevent … [Read more...]
Iowa AG says opioid settlements must be used to abate the crisis
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says the national opioid-related settlements a half dozen businesses have agreed to pay must be spent to address the opioid crisis. "There's strong restrictions on how the money will be spent," Miller says. "Strong in the sense that they have to be spent on … [Read more...]
State to get millions of dollars in opioid settlement with CVS, Walgreens
Iowa will receive more than $70 million in an opioid settlement with the two largest pharmacy chains in the country. Attorney General Tom Miller released information that says the money is coming from a nearly $11 billion nationwide agreement with CVS and Walgreens. Miller and Attorney's General … [Read more...]
Senator Grassley says report on use of psychotropic drugs in nursing homes is disturbing
Around eight in ten nursing home residents on Medicare received psychotropic drugs during the past decade, according to a watchdog report from U.S. Health and Human Services that was requested by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. He says he's "very disturbed" by the report. "It shows that just an … [Read more...]
Large amount of available cannabis edibles makes testing tough
The number of edible cannabis products in Iowa and surrounding states has created problems in trying to figure out which ones meet the state's guidelines for legal medical use. Kelli Flanagan of the DCI crime lab spoke to the medical marijuana program board today, and says edibles pose a volume … [Read more...]