Hunter
12/23/21
Three Iowa state senators, including Iowa City’s Joe Bolkcom, are calling for a new constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana.
KCRG TV reports Bolkcom calling the prohibition of marijuana “a costly failure.”
Recreational marijuana is legal in 19 states, including neighboring Illinois. Iowa allows medical CBD use, but in limited potency.
The other state senators at this week’s news conference advocating legal recreational marijuana use were Sarah Trone Garriott of Windsor Heights and Janet Peterson of Des Moines. The senators cited a Des Moines Register poll that shows over half of Iowans favor legalized marijuana, and nearly 80 percent thinking medical use should be expanded.
The station reports that such a proposal requires a simple majority in both the house and senate in two consecutive legislative sessions to be included on a ballot. Once put to a vote, a simple majority would have to approve it to make legalized marijuana part of the state constitution.