Letter to the Editor: Urge senator to seek special session

By Sen. Joe Bolkom, D-Iowa City

People in most other states have much better access to effective medicines made from cannabis than we do here in Iowa.

This spring, the Iowa Legislature overwhelmingly voted to fix that. State Sen. Waylon Brown of St. Ansgar represents many of the readers of this paper. He voted for House File 732, the reform of Iowa’s medical cannabis laws.

Sen. Brown’s vote gave hope to Iowans suffering from cancer, Crohn’s disease, MS, Parkinson’s disease, severe and chronic pain, and other conditions.

Thank him the next time you see him!

Unfortunately, Gov. Reynolds vetoed those reforms.

Seventy percent of Iowa medical cannabis patients, people whose average age is 57, use it to manage untreatable or severe pain. Unless the veto is overridden, Iowans will be denied effective medicines that are legal in 32 other states.

Please contact Sen. Brown at 641-590-0610 or at waylon.brown@legis.iowa.gov. Ask him to call for a special session so Iowa families get the help they need.

If Sen. Brown stands by his vote and stands up for the people he represents, thousands of Iowans — including people you know — will be helped.