{"id":373375,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:19","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/iowa-law\/iowa-marijuana-laws.html"},"modified":"2025-05-30T10:13:41","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T15:13:41","slug":"iowa-marijuana-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/iowa-law\/iowa-marijuana-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Iowa Marijuana Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Iowa Marijuana Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Kit Yona, M.A.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by John Mascolo, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Marijuana is a controlled substance by Iowa law. Its legal use is only allowed within the state’s limited medical marijuana program. Despite expanding the parameters<\/a> of the program somewhat in 2020, Iowa’s medical cannabis accessibility and approved products lag behind most other states.<\/p>\r\n

Marijuana, also known as cannabis, remains illegal for recreational use<\/a> in Iowa. Harsh penalties with jail time are in place for all cannabis-based offenses, even ones that involve small amounts of marijuana. There are no provisions or leniency for first-time offenders.<\/p>\r\n

Republican lawmakers, who hold the majority in Des Moines, have opposed bills<\/a> that pursue a complete medical cannabis program, legalization, or decriminalization. They cite threats to public safety.<\/p>\r\n

The decision to use marijuana in Iowa by anyone other than qualified medical marijuana patients can be dangerous. In this article, we’ll go over how the medical marijuana <\/a>program in Iowa operates and how patients can use it. You’ll learn about the strict penalties for marijuana offenses, including special DUI conditions.<\/p>\r\n

History of Marijuana Laws in Iowa<\/h2>\r\n

In 2014, Iowa became one the earliest states to legalize the possession and use of cannabidiol<\/a> with Senate File 2360<\/a>. Cannabidiol or CBD oil comes from the cannabis plant but contains only low doses of THC<\/a> (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive ingredient that causes the "high" from marijuana use. Iowa originally approved the use of CBD oil for the treatment of epilepsy.<\/p>\r\n

Since then, HF 2589 expanded<\/a> the program to allow slightly more powerful doses of THC. The bill also included a wider range of qualifying medical conditions.<\/p>\r\n

By keeping marijuana as a Schedule I drug<\/a>, Iowa matches the federal classification found in the Controlled Substances Act<\/a>. While the federal government was making efforts to reduce the severity<\/a> of marijuana’s treatment in the drug schedules, Iowa does not seem inclined to follow suit.<\/p>\r\n

Consumable hemp products have been legal since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill<\/a> that removed these cannabis-based items from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. Iowa also passed an initial Hemp Act in 2021<\/a>. To be legal, hemp-infused products had to have less than 0.3% THC by weight.<\/p>\r\n

On May 17, 2024, HF 2605 became the newest Iowa law<\/a> on cannabis. It limits consumable hemp-based products to a maximum of 4 milligrams of THC per serving and 10 milligrams per container. The law also bans distributing or selling these items to anyone under 21. The law was to give appropriate regulation to the hemp market, including hemp-based infused drinks and edibles, like gummies. There has been some controversy<\/a> over the roll-out of the new law. As a result, many businesses are not clear on the legality of their products.<\/p>\r\n

Medical Marijuana Laws in Iowa<\/h2>\r\n

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services<\/a> oversees the medical cannabis program. To be eligible to buy legal medical cannabis, patients must fill out an online application<\/a> to become registered and get an Iowa Medical Cannabidiol Card. The patient must have a physician’s certification that they are suffering from one or more of the following conditions:<\/p>\r\n