Pharmacy Examiners

Iowa Board of Pharmacy Press Release - February 17, 2010

Carl Olsen — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 01:41:31 GMT

Board endorses marijuana as Schedule II drug for medical uses

Presentations at the NABP 2009 Symposium

Carl Olsen — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 16:55:26 GMT

http://www.nabp.net/cpes09.asp

2009 Symposium
Continuing Pharmacy Education Sessions

The following presentations were given at the NABP 2009 Symposium.

Legalization of Drugs: Is the Time Right for Medical Marijuana?

Issue Introduction and Overview
A speaker will provide Symposium participants with facts about the medical use of marijuana, emphasizing evidence-based medicine, including the scientific evidence bearing on potential medical use. This introduction opens the door for further discussion regarding science, medicine, policy, and the law.

Kenneth Mackie, MD, Linda and Jack Gill Chair of Neuroscience and Professor, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington
The Scientific Side of Medical Marijuana

Should Marijuana be a Medical Option?
Participants will learn about the marijuana policies of some of the major health care associations and the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists, and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. Do they all support medical marijuana? Do they all recommend additional trials and rescheduling?

Barry D. Dickinson, PhD, Director, Science & Biotechnology, and Secretary, Council on Science and Public Health, American Medical Association
Should Marijuana be a Medical Option?

Alice Mead, JD, Director of United States Professional Relations, GW Pharmaceuticals
Should Marijuana be a Medical Option?

Are These Medical Miracles?
Highly esteemed physicians will provide real-life examples of successful medical marijuana treatment and why legal prescription medications are not always the answer in providing the best patient care.

Sunil K. Aggarwal, PhD, MS-IV, Medical Student/Researcher, University of Washington School of Medicine
Gregory T. Carter, MD, MS, Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine
Cannabis in the Treatment of Chronic Pain

Donald I. Abrams, MD, Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
Cannabis in the Treatment of Chronic Pain

Are We Going to Legalize Medical Marijuana?

A Regulatory Approach to Medical Marijuana – What are the States Doing?
Representatives from state agencies will share with participants how medical marijuana programs have been incorporated into their state’s laws and regulations. How were they developed? How were they implemented? How are they enforced? Do they work?

Jacob Appelsmith, JD, Special Assistant to the Attorney General, California Office of the Attorney General
California and Medical Marijuana

Lloyd K. Jessen, RPh, JD, Executive Director and Drug Control Program Administrator, Iowa Board of Pharmacy
Déjà vu: Medical Marijuana in Iowa 1979 to 2009

Scott Galenbeck, JD, Assistant Attorney General, Iowa Office of the Attorney General
Ditch-Weed Saga

A Regulatory Approach to Medical Marijuana – What has Canada Done?
Symposium participants will learn about the development of the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations in Canada and their implementation. In addition, operational aspects, including marijuana supply; policies; and legal issues will be addressed.

Carole Bouchard, BPharm, MAP, Executive Director, National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities
A Regulatory Approach to Medical Marihuana – What has Canada Done?

Legalizing Medical Marijuana – Creating a Slippery Slope?
What impact could legalizing medical marijuana bring? Will it lead us down a path to legalize other “immoral” behaviors? Will it increase recreational marijuana and other illicit drug use? Experts will provide participants with their insights including whether legalizing medical marijuana could help our ailing economy by becoming a source of tax revenue and decreasing money spent on criminal prosecutions.

Andrea Barthwell, MD, FASAM, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, EMGlobal LLC, and Former Deputy Director for Demand Reduction, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Legalizing “Medical Marijuana” – Creating a Slippery Slope?

Now for something entirely off topic

Carl Olsen — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:55:29 GMT

Apparently I’m such a force that an entire presentation was devoted to me at the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Symposium, December 3-4, 2009, in Tucson, AZ. This is all very scientific and professional.

http://www.nabp.net/whatsnew/meetings/2009symposium/Galenbeckdw.pdf

With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

Psalms 35:16

National Boards of Pharmacy

Carl Olsen — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:14:52 GMT

Here is an interesting event. Last week, the National Boards of Pharmacy held their 2009 Symposium on the question, "Should we legalize marijuana for medical use?" Apparently, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy medical marijuana hearings have moved to Arizona. Not surprisingly, the main event was a panel of California and Iowa pharmacy board officials.

I have posted a copy of the symposium agenda, click here.

The following is copied from their web site: http://www.nabp.net/.

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
2009 Symposium
December 3-4, 2009
J. W. Marriott Star Pass Hotel
Tucson, AZ

Collaborate with your peers during the NABP 2009 Symposium and earn up to 11.25 hours of continuing pharmacy education credit! This one-and-a-half day workshop will provide a forum for discussing current issues in pharmacy including issues surrounding medical marijuana and public-private partnerships. Session topics include:

Legalization of Drugs: Is the Time Right for Medical Marijuana?
Are we going to Legalize Medical Marijuana?
Public-Private Partnerships: Stimulus Packages for Dwindling State Resources

Online registration is no longer available. Registration will be available on site beginning at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, December 2.

Board of pharmacy executive officers, members, and compliance officers are all welcome to participate in discussions with other state and federal regulators as well as stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry. Attendees may also earn Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education-approved continuing pharmacy education credit for their participation.

Americans for Safe Access issued a press release last week, but didn't send me a copy. I got it from a friend. It's amazing, because they give someone credit for triggering the Iowa Pharmacy Board medical marijuana hearings, but simply identify me as "litigation" rather than giving me any credit. You can read their press release, click here.

ACLU of Iowa's Testimony - November 5, 2009

Carl Olsen — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:54:41 GMT

Testimony of the ACLU of Iowa in the Iowa Board of Pharmacy Public Hearings on Medical Marijuana

Des Moines Register - August 20, 2009

Carl Olsen — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:57:55 GMT

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090820/NEWS10/908200365/1007/NEWS05

Board hears stances on medical marijuana

Board hears stances on medical marijuana (scan)

Board of Pharmacy to hold Public Hearing on July 21

Carl Olsen — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:22:16 GMT

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy will be holding an open (public) meeting on the medical marijuana ruling from the Iowa District Court on Tuesday, July 21, 2009, from 9:50 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. The Board denied my petition because I did not submit scientific evidence that marijuana has no high potential for abuse. The Iowa District Court ruled that scientic evidence was not relevant to my claim that marijuana has accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy must decide whether marijuana has accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. The Iowa District Court ruled that the evidence I submitted, 13 state medical marijuana laws, was sufficient evidence for the Board to make a decision on the question I asked them to decide.

At the public hearing on June 1, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy claimed I was asking if marijuana should have accepted medical use in Iowa, which is not the question I asked them to decide. Iowa law says nothing about accepted medical use in Iowa. It says, "accepted medical use in treatment in the United States." If the Board doesn't like the way the statute is written, it needs to says so instead of trying to act like it says something it does not say.

The announcement for the public hearing says speakers will be allowed 5 minutes to speak, which is the same thing the announcement for the June 1 public hearing said. I was not allowed to speak at the June 1 public hearing, and I'm sure I won't be allowed to speak on July 21, even though it says speakers can have 5 minutes. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy doesn't know the meaning of "due process." We will educate them.

Peer-Reviewed Studies on Marijuana

Carl Olsen — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:22:07 GMT

This looks like a useful site:

Peer-Reviewed Studies on Marijuana

More thoughts on Iowa Pharmacy Board Hearing

Carl Olsen — Sat, 30 May 2009 13:50:43 GMT

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?

Board of Pharmacy to hold Public Hearing on June 1

Carl Olsen — Fri, 29 May 2009 13:57:31 GMT

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy will be holding an open (public) meeting on the medical marijuana ruling from the Iowa District Court on Monday, June 1, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. The Board denied my petition because I did not submit scientific evidence that marijuana has no high potential for abuse. The Iowa District Court ruled that scientic evidence was not relevant to my claim that marijuana has accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy must decide whether marijuana has accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. The Iowa District Court ruled that the evidence I submitted, 13 state medical marijuana laws, was sufficient evidence for the Board to make a decision on the question I asked them to decide.