Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa, has signed a bill this week making changes to the state’s medical cannabis program.
The changes will now allow more physicians in Iowa to certify patients but also limits the amount of some products that they can purchase.
One part of the bill removes the 3% THC limit on products, and replaces it with a 4.5g THC per 90-day purchase limit. Under the old law, there technically was no limit on the amount of THC you could purchase, just a limit per product.
The new law allows doctors to recommend higher dosages of THC if 4.5 grams/90 days is insufficient for a patient’s treatment or if an Iowan is terminally ill.
Democrats in the legislature believe the changes to THC make Iowa’s law more strict.
“You reduce the effectiveness of the medicine,” said Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City.
“You take the active ingredient that helps people in pain and you lower the dosage of THC patients can get.”
The law also makes IDPH responsible for the issuance of registration cards, instead of the DOT and dispensaries will be required to employ either a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician. The law additionally removes the felony disqualifiers for patients and primary caregivers having convictions related to a controlled substance.
It also removes the limit on the number of medical cannabidiol board meetings allowed each year.
