Appeals court leaves Iowa marijuana rules intact

Iowa state appeals court upholds the decision this week to keep marijuana as a schedule 1 substance with no medical value. In 2014, Iowa legislators passed a limited medical marijuana bill allowing only for CBD oil low in THC for patients, but like many states they never followed through with a system to allow patients access to the drug. One marijuana activist, Carl Olsen, has worked for many years to educate legislators about the medical benefits, and though most lawmakers want to see the bill move forward, they have yet to agree on the policy, leaving patients to suffer in the meantime.

"The board should have the same interest that I do to get this solved and get this out of their hair so they don't have to keep dealing with it," said Olsen, a self-described activist for marijuana use. "I'm not going to let them off the hook."

The board makes recommendations to the Legislature on revisions to the classification of controlled substances, but it's up to lawmakers to enact policy. The appeals court determined Wednesday that the board was not required to make yearly recommendations.