The potency of some medical marijuana products in Iowa could be increasing soon under a bill picking up steam at the state Capitol this session.

The Iowa House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to pass legislation that, among other things, would change how the state measures use of a key chemical that makes recreational marijuana users high. The measure passed on a 96-3 vote

If enacted, the bill would continue to evolve the state's medical marijuana law from a cannabidiol program that had no manufacturing system and was limited to epilepsy patients just a few years ago. The scope of medical conditions under the program has since expanded, and a range of products, like oils, tablets and creams are now available under a new manufacturing and dispensing system. The smokeable form of marijuana is still prohibited.

Although lawmakers still have differences on the issue, Rep. Jarad Klein, R-Keota, said, “we came together and found reasonable solutions, reasonable responses, to help sick people in the state of Iowa.”

The House bill, which Klien helped lead in the House, would replace an existing 3 percent cap on tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, by allowing the dispensing of 25 grams of the chemical to a patient or primary caregiver in a 90-day period. An earlier version of the bill had a 20-gram limit.

Klein said the change is aimed at allowing manufacturers to better package products for patients. That could mean more potency within some products.

Rep. Wes Breckenridge, D-Newton, advanced an amendment to allow someone with a debilitating disease and with less than a year to live to receive a waiver that removes even the new proposed cap.

"If somebody in their last year of life, if there's a way we can bring comfort to them, I think that we need to do that," he said.

Other provisions within the bill would revise one of the medical conditions that qualify an Iowa patient to access cannabis products. The medical condition would be reworded from “untreatable pain” to “severe or chronic pain.”

The Iowa Senate had been considering a related but separate medical marijuana bill that would have more clearly expanded the number of eligible medical conditions. Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, said he’s met with Klein to discuss the House bill.

Zaun said he still wants to try to expand the medical conditions and the number of dispensaries allowed under the law.

“I’m very, very excited about the opportunities,” Zaun said.

The Senate will need to give some tentative agreement to some version of the House bill soon. A second “funnel” deadline next week requires policy bills to advance out of two chamber committees.