2014 Iowa Senate Debates: on Drugs

Doug Butzier: Legalize marijuana & all drugs; $80B wasted on War on Drugs

A: I'm in favor of legalizing all drugs! We spend ~$80 Billion each year in the war on drugs, which is about half of all law enforcement expenditures. Just because you think it's wrong for someone to use marijuana, doesn't give you the right to demand legislation to try and stop it. Prohibition has never worked and only breeds violent crime in our cities and in Central and South America.

Joni Ernst: Voted to legalize medical cannabis oil

During the floor debate, several Republicans warned that passing the bill would send the wrong message to teenagers, leading to more recreational use of marijuana. That's hard to fathom, since the bill does not legalize smoking marijuana, even for terminally or chronically ill Iowans who could benefit from medical cannabis in that form.

Key Iowa House Republicans and Governor Terry Branstad have made clear that for now, they would consider only a bill to allow access to medical cannabis oil.

A sign of how far the political ground has shifted in the medical marijuana debate: Joni Ernst is in fiercely competitive GOP primaries for U.S. Senate, and voted for this bill.