On Thursday, a resolution was introduced that was in full throated support of the President’s escalation in Iraq. It featured 13 Republican co-sponsors with impeccable far-right wing credentials, including genuine nutcases like Bill Sali of Idaho. But the main sponsor of the resolution is the one and only Steve King.
In addition, the Representative from Iowa’s Fifth District has also signed as a co-sponsor (along with obscure Presidential candidate Duncan Hunter) to a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. It’s good to know that Steve King is continuing to introduce and sponsor legislation that has no chance of getting passed. Many people enter politics to make a difference but only a rare few enter it to make pointless symbolic gestures. Steve King has once again shown he’s a proud member of the second catagory.
February 12th, 2007
The Iowa State Senate has a bill before it to classify salvia divinorum, a drug that’s legal in most states and many European countries, as a Schedule I drug. It is a hallucinogen derivived from the sage plant that was traditionally used by Mazaztec shamans in the mountains of Mexico. While it is considered non-addictive and to have limited potential for abuse, it’s being banned partially because a 17 year old who used it later committed suicide.
While there are very justifiable reasons to prevent people from using any hallucinogenic drug, the bill before the State Senate would make salvia a Schedule I drug. This means that saliva has “a high potential for abuse and no medical purpose in treatment.” However, not only is salvia not addictive, but, more importantly, it also has a medical purpose. Early research into salvia is showing a lot of potential for medical use, it could even lead to drugs that would treat Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. Not only that, much of this research is being done by a doctor at the University of Iowa.
There’s a lot of legitimate reasons to regulate salvia or even ban it from being used recreationally. But to classify it in the same catagory as heroin seems short-sighted. The state legislature should take steps to guarantee that medical research into the properties and potential of salvia can continue, regardless of whatever restrictions are placed on its recreational use.
January 31st, 2007
