Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Board
August 23, 2024
This is Carl Olsen.
Please carry forward recommendation #8 from the board’s 2022 and 2023 annual reports into the board’s 2024 Annual Report.
Recommendation #8 acknowledges we need the same federal authorization to protect patients who use cannabis as members of a church receive for the religious use of peyote.
Patients face discrimination in all sorts of federally funded activities. Someone who is already struggling should not have to face these additional barriers.
Obtaining a medical cannabis card is an admission of criminal intent. Patients are being forced to use consumable hemp products as the only legal alternative.
The federal authority for excepting patients is found in 21 U.S.C. § 822(d) and 21 C.F.R. § 1307.03. The peyote exception is found in 21 C.F.R. § 1307.31.
Government should not be abusing patients this way.
I hope you will keep the recommendation to seek federal authorization in your annual report again this year.
Thank you for your time and your service!