The 2000 Iowa Democratic Party Platform includes the following language:
Plank 2
HEALTH CARE
We support:
·strengthening Medicare in order to provide affordable, high quality care, prescription drugs, a buy-in at age 55 & over, and reimbursement rates that are fair and equitable in all states including rural areas.
·A patient's right to health care coverage that is affordable, portable, equally accessible, comprehensive, and maintains the patient's right to choose health care providers regardless of the patient's health status, including:
·passage of the U.S. Senate Democratic Party's version of the Patients' Bill of Rights.
·providing full tax deductibility for premiums.
·a single standardized insurance claim form.
·maintaining rural health care systems.
·increased funding to NIH to expand research.
·retaining and recruiting health care workers in Iowa.
·medicinal use of marijuana prescribed by a physician.
·giving the FDA authority to regulate tobacco.
·state support of health science research at regents schools.
We want to keep this language in the 2002 platform. This year, the Iowa Precinct Caucuses will be held on Monday, February 11, 2002.
Attached is a copy of the medical marijuana resolution that was submitted at the caucuses in 2000 (see, Resolution.pdf).
In December of 2000, Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore, expressed support for medical marijuana (see, Gore.pdf). During the 1999-2000 Iowa legislative session, Senator Elaine Szymoniak introduced a medical marijuana bill (see, SF2076.pdf). During the 2001-2002 Iowa Legislative session, Iowa senators Joe Bolkcom, Robert Dvorsky and Johnie Hammond introduced medical marijuana legislation (see, SF113.pdf), and Iowa representatives Ed Fallon and Mary Mascher introduced medical marijuana legislation (see, HF658.pdf). Iowans for Medical Marijuana recommends passage of the Iowa House version, HF658.
The 2000 Iowa Democratic Party Platform also includes the following language:
Plank 12
MENTAL HEALTH
We support:
·equal access to treatment.
·insurance parity.
·expanding public education to remove the stigma associated with mental illness.
·providing community-based resources for each level of need.
·recognizing substance abuse as an illness and not a criminal behavior.
·alternative treatment and funding for patients with multiple diagnoses.
We also want to keep this language in the 2002 platform.
Attached is a copy of the substance abuse resolution that was submitted in 2000 (see, Substance.pdf), along with a mental health parity resolution (see, Mental.pdf).
Governor Vilsack continues to promote substance abuse parity (see, Governor's 2002 Condition of State Message). Governor Vilsack's supported substance abuse parity in 2000 (see page 6, Vilsack.pdf). The Clinton-Gore administration supported substance abuse parity (see, Clinton.pdf). There have been a series of proposed federal laws on substance abuse treatment parity (see, Parity.pdf), including the Harold Hughes-Bill Emerson Substance Abuse Parity Act of 1999 (see, HR1977.pdf).