Is Weed Legal In Iowa

Is Weed Legal In Iowa, Yes for Limited Medical Use

Once you register with the state as a medical marijuana patient, you can purchase capsules, tinctures, lotions, and other cannabis products without having to worry about legal repercussions. However, smoking marijuana remains illegal in Iowa, even if you have a medical cannabis card.

Rules and regulations for Iowa's medical marijuana program:

• The only approved medical marijuana product in Iowa is cannabidiol (CBD) oil with 3% or less THC content. Smokable flower and high-THC products are not permitted.
• There is a list of about 10 qualifying debilitating medical conditions including cancer, epilepsy, AIDS, Crohn's, MS, Parkinson's, and terminal illness.
• Patients must obtain certification from an Iowa-licensed neurologist or gastroenterologist and apply for a medical CBD registration card through the state.
• Dispensaries are not allowed. Patients or caregivers must personally obtain CBD oil from one of Iowa's licensed manufacturers or dispensaries in another legal state.
• Possession limits for approved CBD oil are 32 fluid ounces over 90 days for most patients and up to 96 fluid ounces for terminally ill patients.
• Home production of any form of medical marijuana, including CBD oil, is not permitted under Iowa's program. Patients can face criminal penalties.
• Consumption of medical CBD must be non-public, on private property only. Use is not permitted in schools, workplaces or on public grounds.
• Written certification for medical CBD possession must be available for law enforcement review when transporting any allowed quantities in public.
• Driving under the influence of any level of THC, even medical CBD, can result in OWI charges in Iowa.
• All forms of marijuana aside from approved low-THC CBD oil remain illegal in Iowa. There are penalties for unauthorized possession and use.

The use is so limited that many medical marijuana advocates do not consider Iowa and states like it that have these limited use exceptions for epileptic seizures to be considered as states that truly have legalized medical marijuana. Typically states that provide for medical marijuana for its residents are on the road to the total decriminalization of the drug. However, that is not true in Iowa.

For the rest of the state, marijuana possession and sale remain illegal in Iowa. Selling marijuana in the state is a felony, punishable by up to 50 years in prison depending on the amount of marijuana, the location of the sale, and the criminal history of the defendant.

However, Iowa's policies do reflect empathy toward people with drug problems and addictions. For example, an offender who is considered to be a chronic marijuana abuser may be ordered to rehabilitation. If the offender can successfully complete the program, the court can place him or her on probation.

The chart below lists the details of Iowa's marijuana statutes.