Qualifying Conditions for Medicinal Cannabis Treatment in Iowa
To qualify for treatment that uses medicinal cannabis in the state of Iowa, a patient (age 18 or older) must be able to prove permanent Iowa residency and provide physician certification of at least one of the following qualifying medical conditions:
- Chronic Pain
- PTSD
- Cancer – if the illness or its treatment produces one or more of the following: severe or chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, cachexia or severe wasting.
- Seizures
- Crohn’s disease
- Untreatable pain – any pain whose cause cannot be removed and, according to generally accepted medical practice, the full range of pain management modalities appropriate for the patient has been used without adequate result or with intolerable side effects.
- Multiple Sclerosis with severe and persistent muscle spasms
- AIDS or HIV (as defined in Iowa Code, section 141A.1)
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Parkinson’s disease
- Any terminal illness with a probable life expectancy of under one year – if the illness or its treatment produces one or more of the following: severe or chronic pain, nausea or severe vomiting, cachexia or severe wasting.
The Iowa medical cannabis advisory board is expected to expand the qualified conditions even further. Check with your physician to see if your ailment is covered.
Iowa Medical Cannabis Recommendation
With a recommendation from a qualified physician, not a prescription, you are able to legally purchase medical cannabis from Iowa Cannabis Co. If you’re in the greater Waterloo area or Black Hawk County then visit our dispensary and see what we can offer to aid you best.
More About Iowa Medical Cannabis Laws
In 2014 when the state’s original medical cannabis laws (SF 2360) came into effect only “CBD Cannabis Oil” was legal to treat only seizures. This oil was also limited to 3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). The initial law was ultimately flawed however. It stated that CBD oil could only be acquired from other states. Yet due to a legal catch-22 it was illegal to purchase said oil.
To correct these errors and expand the law, Iowa lawmakers in 2017 gave the Department of Public Health the authority to approve select growers to produce and sell medical cannabis within the state. Despite this the THC limit was still in place. The medical cannabis advisory board was then formed to address concerns from patients regarding the low THC limit. However in 2018 the Iowa congress agreed to lift the THC limit requirement expanding the options available to Iowa patients.
As the law currently stands smokable form of cannabis is not allowed. It is available in creams, oils and capsules.
Medical Properties of Cannabis
For thousands of years cannabis has been used for medical purposes from a smoked herb to teas, ointments and oral tinctures. Over 400 chemical compounds work together in the cannabis plant to naturally provide therapeutic benefits in a synergy known as the Entourage Effect.
The two primary types of chemicals, cannabinoids and terpenes, have all kinds of positive effects on the systems in your body including your nervous system, immune system and organs. These chemicals are carried throughout your body by the Endocannabinoid System (ECS).
It also plays an important role in regulating health processes. Scientists are proving that different cannabinoids like THC, CBD, CBN, and CBG produce unique medical benefits when used. Terpenes work in conjunction with cannabinoids to create unique effects for each strain. Our budtenders can help you find the ideal strain to treat your medical condition.