By James Q. Lynch, Gazette Des Moines Bureau
DES MOINES Iowa Rep. Clel Baudler has gone from being on the Marijuana Policy Projects list of worst legislators last year to backing the legalization of a marijuana derivative for treatment of seizure disorders.
Its time, the Greenfield Republican and former Iowa State Patrol trooper said Wednesday afternoon after meeting with representatives of the Iowa Epilepsy Foundation.
The foundation has been lobbying lawmakers this session, often coming to the Capitol with their children who have seizure disorders.
As a mother of a special-needs child you have to be optimistic, said Maria La France of Des Moines, the mother of a 12-year-old son who is epileptic. Shes spent much of the year at the Statehouse lobbying lawmakers. I naively believed that once it was explained and people understood the benefits, minds could be changed.
Baudler has done his own research, but he doesnt discount the impact of La France and other mothers of special needs children and those children.
These little kids are taking some drugs that are really hot, Baudler said. So if we educate ourselves and possibly we can give them some relief, thats a good thing.
Baudler isnt about to let Iowa become Colorado, where marijuana is legal for recreational use.
In fact, he doesnt use the terms marijuana or medical marijuana.
Cannabidiol, he said, referring to a compound in cannabis that has little THC, which makes marijuana users feel high, but greater amounts of the chemical CBD that has medical effects.