Meeting Public Comments

Roger Mall

Ivermectin and related common protocol drugs should be available over the counter for human consumption. Relevant cautions included as with other over the counter medicines. The equivalents are available for animal husbandry, and can be had at agricultural supply stores but not in convenient human dose formulations. Making it available over the counter with information would help prevent wasteful and mistaken dosages. It is an effective drug well understood that needs to be made available to the public promptly.

Jason Semprini

In summary, the new tax proposed in HB 694 would reduce smoking by 23% in the shortterm and drop Iowas smoking rate below 10% over a decade. While a larger tax might reduce smoking by more, the regressivity and loss of revenue ($ 20,000,000) suggest the HSB 694 rate increase may balance public health and society impacts. The vapor tax section would reduce vapor use, as intended, but unintentionally increase smoking rates. Avoiding tax parity may reduce unintended substitution toward cigarettes and reduce our cancer burden. Based on the available evidence, this HSB 694 tax would reduce cigarette smoking and vapor use, with minimal (but not zero) offset in cigarette smoking from the vapor tax specifically. Targeted revenue allocations and exemptions for cessation may strengthen longterm smoking declines.

Grace Rogers

AGAINST. Why are there so many unrelated items all in this bill? They should be separated for proper discussion and debate. Two issues I have are: 1. why can IVERMECTIN be prescribed over the counter but you're bending over backwards to keep women from getting birth control? and 2. how are you going to prohibit school foods from having some dyes in them WITHOUT PROPERLY FUNDING SCHOOLS SO THEY CAN AFFORD TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT??? Make it make sense, y'all. Come on. Do better for Iowans.