Robert Morrison, Burlington

Letter to the Editor

Thousands of Iowans are being denied access to medical marijuana (cannabis) as a direct result of the inaction of the Iowa Legislature. For the past two sessions, Iowa lawmakers have failed to pass a medical marijuana law because of partisan politics, while people continue to needlessly suffer. Sick and suffering Iowans need and deserve a comprehensive whole plant medical marijuana program.

A 2015 Quinnipac University poll showed that 87 percent of the people polled support medical marijuana. Additionally a 2016 Des Moines Register poll showed that 78 percent of the state's adults support medical marijuana.

The Illinois Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis program continues to grow and thousands of people are getting relief. Patients who are suffering from from a wide range of medical conditions are being allowed to use medical marijuana to help control their pain.

It seems to me that some Iowa lawmakers are more concerned about the health and well being of farm animals than sick children with epilepsy and other Iowans who could be helped with medical marijuana. To continue to deny the weakest and most vulnerable people in Iowa legal access to a safe, effective, herbal medicine that has been used for thousands of years is morally wrong.

— Robert Morrison, Burlington