Iowa Senator Gene Fraise Is An Unlikely Source For Medical Marijuana Support
Senior citizens are rapidly becoming a key group of supporters for medical marijuana across the nation, and Iowa is no exception. 79 year old Iowa Senator Gene Fraise, a Democrat from Fort Madison, told the Associated Press that he supports medical marijuana because he knows people that alleviated their suffering with marijuana use. “I’ve talked to quite a few people who said members of their family were dying of cancer and they can’t get relief unless they have this marijuana,” Fraise, a 26-year veteran of the Senate, told The Associated Press on Monday. “If that’s the case, then maybe we ought to help people.”
Bringing medical marijuana to Iowa is no easy task. I know that there are great activists fighting daily to do so, such as the legendary Carl Olsen. Iowa marijuana activists were able to successfully strong arm the State of Iowa into rescheduling marijuana previously, so I’m confident that they can push through for another victory. There will no doubt be people that will try to fight it with all of their blind reasoning.
One of them will no doubt be Greenfield, Iowa Representative Clel Baudler. Some of you might remember former Iowa State Trooper Clel Baudler from last year when he blatantly broke the law in an anti-medical marijuana propaganda campaign. Reefer madness crusader Clel Baudler traveled to California, obtained a medical marijuana prescription fraudulently in an attempt to spook Iowa citizens. “The only things I lied about were hemorrhoids, depression and I stated that I did not have health insurance.” was Representative Baudler’s excuse. Way to show integrity Mr. Baudler….
I tip my hat to you Iowa Senator Fraise. I know it’s not easy to step up and voice your opinion in such a conservative state. The closest medical marijuana state is far away, so most of the citizens of Iowa’s knowledge about medical marijuana only comes from the news. As a result, many have misconceptions and negative stereotypes. I encourage all Iowans to investigate the issue for themselves instead of listening to the falsities that are spread by people like Clel Baudler.
Luckily for the movement, Senator Fraise is very influential in Iowa politics. Senator Fraise is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee and serves on a Justice Budgeting Committee. He is also a member of the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning Advisory Council, the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision State Council and the Public Safety Advisory Board.
