Both the national and state drug czars came out this past week in favor of science over politics in the Iowa debate on the legalization of marijuana for medical use. The national drug czar was in Iowa to attend the release of Iowa's Drug Control Strategy 2010
National drug czar, Gil Kerlikowski, said last week that Iowa medical marijuana policy should be decided by science, not votes. He said the medical marijuana program in his home state of Washington was not a significant problem for law enforcement authorities.
On November 1, 2009, Iowa drug Czar, Gary Kendell, released Iowa's Drug Control Strategy 2010, which says Iowa is waiting for the "concensus of medical evidence." See page 8. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy is currently reviewing that medical evidence and will issue it's report to the Iowa Legislature sometime in early January of 2010.
For news media reports on this and related issues, see:
Radio Iowa
http://www.radioiowa.com/2009/11/03/u-s-drug-czar-stays-out-of-iowa-marijuana-debate/
U.S. Drug Czar stays out of Iowa marijuana debate
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA
Federal Drug Czar Stops In Iowa
http://www.kcci.com/video/21502688/
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA
Drug Treatment Cuts