At a minimum, we encourage lawmakers to craft and Gov. Terry Branstad to sign a bill this year providing for at least limited use of medical marijuana before the session ends, then study and move toward an expanded program of legalized medical marijuana next year.

A proposal by State Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, strikes us as a good place to start.

Bolkcom proposes the state this year pass legislation allowing patients who suffer from epilepsy to legally possess an anti-seizure medicine derived from cannabis. In a meeting with Branstad on Tuesday, parents of children who suffer from epilepsy made the case for how cannabis oil would help their families meet the health challenges they face.

We wish to be clear: We do not support legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes. In our minds, recreational use is an entirely different conversation and an issue about which far too many questions and concerns exist.

The discussion we are having in this state today isn't about helping Iowans get high.

Rather, it's about helping Iowans who live each day with pain, discomfort and other effects of illness access a drug with potential medicinal benefit to them - safely and legally through a doctor working within a well-regulated system and perhaps at far-less cost than what they pay for other, less-effective drugs.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.