Legislation Aims to Allow Flower in Iowa’s Medical Cannabis Program

Iowa lawmakers are considering legislation to expand the state’s medical cannabis program, which currently allows only extracted cannabis products.

House Study Bill 532, which cleared a three-member subcommittee Jan. 16, would change Iowa’s definition of “medical cannabidiol” to include oral, topical and smokeable forms of cannabis, including flower.

Iowa’s medical cannabis operators told lawmakers at last week’s subcommittee meeting that allowing additional forms of cannabis would decrease costs for patients, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, but state officials said the expansion could create road safety issues and increased problems for law enforcement.

There were roughly 18,000 patients enrolled in Iowa’s medical cannabis program as of October 2023, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services.

Now that the subcommittee has signed off on the legislation, House Study Bill 532 goes to the Senate Public Safety Committee for consideration, the Iowa Capital Dispatch reported. Rep. Hans Wilz, R-Ottumwa, said there will likely be amendments to the bill in future meetings, according to the news outlet.

If the bill makes it through the committee process, it will be assigned a House File number.