DES MOINES — A legal challenge aimed at reclassifying marijuana in Iowa was shot down Wednesday by the state’s appeals court, though the issue will be taken up again in a separate case that also seeks new guidance on the drug’s use under state law.
The Iowa Court of Appeals said the Iowa Board of Pharmacy had proper authority to deny Carl Olsen’s request in 2013 to reclassify marijuana as a controlled substance that has medical use.
The decision comes after the Iowa Legislature failed to pass legislation this session that would update the state’s 2014 law on medical marijuana, which allows possession of cannabis oil. The court case is considered separate, though the legality of the drug under its current classification is tied to the debate over its accessibility to medical patients in Iowa.
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