Sunday is the first anniversary of Iowans being able to buy medical cannabis products in the state. On paper, things look promising: an expanding list of qualifying medical conditions under the program, 300 to 450 new patients each month, and more than $2 million in sales.
But as stakeholders mark the milestone, questions abound about the program’s future.
Officials from MedPharm Iowa, the leading medical cannabis manufacturer in the state, have warned that restrictions on the program will stagnate it. The company has lobbied Iowa lawmakers to increase the potency of available products, arguing that people with medical ailments need more relief. A bill that would have upped potency was rejected by the governor last spring, raising expectations that the debate will return in the 2020 legislative session.
MedPharm Iowa officials also say that adding qualifying medical conditions would increase program enrollment. While nearly 5,000 people have signed up — Iowa has 3.1 million residents — advocates believe many more could benefit from cannabis. Nearly half of current patients are from 50 to 70 years old.
“We are at a true inflection point,” said Lucas Nelson, general manager for MedPharm Iowa.
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