The public hearing on June 1 was not announced. I’m the petitioner, and they didn’t even bother to notify me. I just happened to look at their web site on Friday, May 29 and noticed it by accident.
I don’t know why they are holding a public hearing. The judge's order told them to rule on my petition. It’s a legal question, so I’m not sure what public opinion has to do with it.
I called and they said it was okay for me to attend the public hearing on my petition, so I’ll be there. Several patients will be there. I think the ACLU of Iowa will be there.
It will be interesting to see who they invited. There’s nothing else on the agenda that afternoon, so they are giving it quite a lot of time.
Here's a conspiracy theory.
Senator Joe Bolkcom is working on medical marijuana legislation here in Iowa, SF 293.
In March, the Board of Pharmacy sent SF 293 to the Iowa Pharmacy Association for review. See page 3 of the March 13, 2009, minutes of the Board of Pharmacy.
Something tells me the Iowa Pharmacy Association will be the ones who got an invitation to Monday’s public hearing while the rest of us just have to watch their web site (so they can say it was publicly announced).
I don’t predict the outcome will be any different, but the Board just seems to have a strange way of operating.
Isn’t the Board supposed to be protecting the citizens from the pharmaceutical industry?
Isn’t that why we have regulations?