Cannabis has been readily available in Iowa for decades, despite tens of thousands of arrests and millions of dollars spent in a futile effort at prohibition. It’s time to end this failed war and operate in reality. Only legalization and regulation can bring control to cannabis. Legalizing and taxing cannabis for adults will create safer, lab-tested products that don’t have harmful molds, hazardous pesticides, and that aren’t laced with other drugs. Legal cannabis will generate revenue instead of wasting it. It will move sales out of our streets and schools to behind counters, where businesses check for IDs. If you are not ready to vote for legalization, please at least allow voters the power to make that decision. Please work to get a vote for the voter referral on regulating cannabis for adults.

Fifty years after other states began decriminalizing cannabis, Iowa is still locking its citizens in jail cells for possessing a plant that is safer than alcohol. With half of all Americans having used cannabis, including former presidents and Supreme Court justices, it makes no sense that we are continuing to wage this futile war. Like alcohol prohibition before it, cannabis prohibition simply hasn’t worked. It has wasted billions of dollars, torn apart families, and destroyed trust between communities and police. Yet cannabis is still readily available, especially to young people. In 31 other states, cannabis is either decriminalized (meaning a civil fine is issued for possessing a modest amount) or it is legal for adults 21 and older. Will you please support a more sensible and humane cannabis policy? Please work to pass decriminalization and support the voter referral on cannabis legalization. Thank you for your time and public service.