The Sound of One Hand Clapping

I was thinking about a blog post to update this one on Iowa's repressed views of medicinal marijuana.  Then the Des Moines Register published the following editorial, which is pretty consistent with my views:

Iowa parents will no longer face prosecution if they purchase a special marijuana extract for their severely epileptic children. Gov. Terry Branstad signed a bill into law, which takes effect July 1, that allows parents to buy a cannabis oil that may lessen seizures. For that, he and the Legislature deserve credit.

“This bill received tremendous support and truly shows the power of people talking to their legislators and to their governor about important issues to them, to their families and to their children,” Branstad said shortly before he signed Senate File 2360.

Parents did work relentlessly the past few months to gain support from lawmakers. And that did make all the difference in swaying elected officials. However, this law is only the first step toward changes Iowa needs to make.

The parents who will be legally allowed to purchase the cannabis oil still face obstacles. They need a recommendation from an Iowa neurologist and will have to travel to other states with less restrictive marijuana laws to obtain the oil. They may face waiting lists.

Also, the change in law benefits only a small group of Iowans with the most organized lobbying efforts. Other sick Iowans should have legal access to marijuana extracts, too. These include people with painful and debilitating conditions like cancer, spinal cord injuries and severe arthritis, who may benefit from the drug. But if these people obtain cannabis oil, they will still be considered criminals in this state.

Benton Mackenzie, for example, has been diagnosed with angiosarcoma, a cancer of the blood vessels. The 48-year-old was growing his own marijuana to make cannabis oil to shrink skin lesions caused by the disease. After the plants were confiscated from his parents’ home in Long Grove last summer, his lesions have grown enormous and his health has deteriorated.

Mackenzie and his wife are both charged with felony drug possession. His 73-year-old parents are charged with hosting a drug house. His son is charged with misdemeanor possession, and his friend is charged in the drug conspiracy. A Scott County district judge recently ruled Mackenzie won’t be able to use his illness as a defense.

“At least the state is now recognizing, with a law, that marijuana has medicinal value,” said Mackenzie.

Yes, but the state has much more work to do on this issue.

Branstad and other mostly Republicans in Iowa want us to applaud how open-minded they were in helping just a few Iowans with the cannabis oil law, in the absolute most minimal way possible.  It's a joke.

To paraphrase the old Zen riddle, they deserve the applause made by the sound of one hand clapping.