Iowa lawmakers put a marijuana legalization proposal on the table

253 0

Iowa will almost definitely see legalized cannabis this year

Iowa’s marijuana laws could soon get a major overhaul after it was revealed that three Iowa lawmakers intend to make a reform. To accomplish this they shared their proposed constitutional amendment to legalize recreational marijuana yesterday.

The amendment, which was initially shared a few weeks ago, intends to transfer the regulation of marijuana to Iowa’s Alcoholic Beverages Division so that the substance can be controlled in a manner similar to how alcohol is handled. All persons 21 years of age or older would be able to purchase cannabis, and it would impose a tax rate of up to 20% by the state, in addition to a local tax rate of up to 2% on retail sales generated after the law goes into effect.

“Iowa is losing jobs and revenue to other states that have moved ahead with mainstream marijuana reform,” Senator Joe Bolkcom said during a press conference on Wednesday. “Iowans want those jobs and economic development from regulating marijuana like alcohol, especially jobs that it will bring to rural Iowa.”

For a constitutional amendment to achieve the desired success, it would have to receive approval by two subsequent General Assemblies and then be voted on the ballot in the next election. According to previous polls, more than half of the Hawkeye State’s residents agree that recreational marijuana legalization should become a reality. This being the case, and with recent efforts being made, it is possible to see Iowa joining the ranks of states where this market has already opened its doors in the future.