LEGALIZING MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS WORTH CONSIDERING IN IOWA

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy has given the green light to a series of
public hearings about the use of medical marijuana.

Four such hearings, including one in Mason City, will be held from
August through November. Dates have not been announced.

This follows a growing trend around the United States as lawmakers
and government officials re-examine laws governing marijuana use. The
drug once thought used only by dropouts is gaining new respectability.

Legalized marijuana, at least for medical purposes, is not as taboo
as one might think. Marijuana use for medical purposes is legal in 13
states. That's 13 state legislatures that have decided that there's
enough scientific evidence to back up the claim that marijuana has
beneficial uses.

And what are those uses? Medical marijuana supporters say the drug
can reduce pain, reduce muscle spasms, relieve nausea and increase
appetite (no Cheech and Chong jokes, please). Supporters say cancer
patients and AIDS sufferers are among those who have drawn real
benefit from using this drug.

In a story published Wednesday, the Globe Gazette Des Moines Bureau
introduced readers to George McMahon. The Livermore man is a
participant in a medical program run by the federal government. Count
McMahon among the believers.

"It was a miracle cure for me, and I'm wondering how many more people
out there are just like me," said McMahon, who suffers from spasms
and nausea.

We don't see the legal use of medical marijuana as likely in Iowa
anytime soon. We're approaching an election year and candidates will
want to avoid as many hot-button issues as they can. The debates
about same-sex marriage could be rancorous enough without an attempt
to change decades of drug policy.

State Rep. Linda Upmeyer, a nurse practitioner and Republican from
Garner, is interested in hearing what medical marijuana supporters
have to say.

"I guess I don't think it's one of those political 'third rails,' "
Upmeyer said in Wednesday's story. "I mean, I think people can have a
reasonable discussion about it and either support it or not support
it, but I think mostly, people need to know more."

At this point, we are not ready to make an endorsement in this
matter. We believe that while Iowans have a right to direct their own
health care we're not sure if medical marijuana is as good as
advertised. We also worry about the social cost of the partial
legalization of such an addictive drug.

But we're willing to give this matter a listen. We think our readers
should, too. This should be a thought-provoking debate, to say the
least.