As world moves forward on marijuana legalization, Iowa is stuck

Last week was a big one for marijuana reform across the world.

The United Nations narcotics commission voted to remove cannabis from its list of most restricted drugs, with backing from the United States and the World Health Organization.

The Mexican legislature advanced a full marijuana legalization bill, which is expected to earn final passage this month.

And for the first time ever, the U.S. House approved a bill to decriminalize marijuana on the federal level. It adds an exclamation point to last month’s U.S. elections, when four states voted to legalize marijuana for adult use.

None of that has any tangible effect on Iowa, which is one of the worst states for pot enforcement. But it sends a clear message that the times are quickly changing and Iowa is on the wrong side of history.

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act — the MORE Act — was approved with mostly Democratic votes in the U.S. House. Iowa’s three Democratic representatives voted in favor, and one Iowa Republican abstained from the vote.

The bill is not expected to clear the Republican-controlled Senate, but it’s a historic step nonetheless and offers a starting point to potential bipartisan negotiations in the next Congress. [Read more at The Gazette]