DES MOINES — An Iowa House subcommittee approved a bill that would legalize medical marijuana oil and create a state-run program to grow and dispense the product.
People affected by epileptic seizures, multiple sclerosis and cancer spoke Wednesday in support of the bill, telling lawmakers cannabis oil helped them. The GOP-led panel unanimously supported the bill, which now moves to the House public safety committee.
The Iowa Department of Public Health would run the program, and an agency official said it was important participants receive license cards.
Rep. Jared Klein, a Republican from Keota, noted the legislation doesn’t legalize recreational marijuana but only allows cannabis oil for medical treatment. He says 28 states have passed similar bills.
Iowa approved a marijuana oil program in 2014 for treatment of epilepsy. It expires this summer.