Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Senators will debate the virtues of medical marijuana during a subcommittee hearing Tuesday at 2 p.m.
Senate File 293, sponsored by Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, would create the Medical Marijuana Act, which would allow the possession and use of marijuana for therapeutic purposes, create compassion centers and provide for criminal and civil penalties for misuse.
A qualifying patient would be issued a registry identification card to allow them to possess and use marijuana without prosecution or arrest. Those who would be eligible would include people diagnosed by a medical doctor with a “debilitating medical condition” like cancer, hepatitis C, Crohn’s Disease, AIDS or a chronic medical condition that causes severe pain, nausea, seizures or certain muscle spasms.
If passed, Iowa would become the 14th state to allow residents with serious debilitating conditions to use marijuana for relief. Several other states, like Illinois, New Hampshire and New Jersey, are currently studying similar legislation.
In 1999, The Institute of Medicine studied the potential therapeutic value of marijuana and found that the drug did help with symptoms such as pain relief, control of nausea and appetite stimulation.
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