A nurse in Muscatine is pushing to expand the legalization of medical marijuana in Iowa.
Shelly Van Winkle held a presentation in front of a couple dozen people at Musser Public Library in Muscatine on Thursday, February 26, 2015 to discuss the current medical marijuana law in Iowa and how an expanded law would benefit chronically and critically ill Iowans.
Last year a bill was passed that allowed kids with severe forms of epilepsy to use cannabis oil, but they are not allowed to get it in Iowa. Van Winkle is pushing for a bill that would allow that and expand the use of medical marijuana to other patients.
"If at the very least we rolled out a bill that allowed for safe, reliable access to chronically ill Iowans, that would be huge," said Van Winkle.
In the crowd was Tina McDermott, whose son has Dravet Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy.
"I hope he passes a medical marijuana bill, not just for my son with epilepsy, but for all of the sicknesses, cancer, PTSD," said McDermott.
Van Winkle says she is expecting legislation to be introduced next week that would expand medical marijuana to more patients.