Utah Patients Coalition Launches 2018 Medical Cannabis Initiative Campaign

(MPP) This week, the Utah Patients Coalition (UPC) launched a 2018 medical cannabis ballot initiative campaign. The Marijuana Policy Project will help to lead this effort to victory next year, and we are excited for the historic campaign ahead.

The goal of the ballot initiative is simple: to establish a medical cannabis program that allows Utah patients to legally and safely access medicine without breaking the law. You can read a summary of the initiative here.

The DEA spent $73,000 to eradicate marijuana plants in Utah. It didn’t find any.

(WashPost) In 2015, the Drug Enforcement Administration gave $20,000 to the state of New Hampshire to eradicate marijuana plants, according to federal documents. But the Granite State’s law enforcement agencies didn’t have much luck finding any weed to pull that year — their efforts uncovered a single outdoor grow site with a grand total of 27 plants.

Do the math, and U.S. taxpayers paid $740.74 for each pot plant uprooted in New Hampshire that year.

That’s an expensive weeding operation, but it could be worse. Utah received $73,000 in marijuana eradication funds, according to the federal documents obtained and published by journalist Drew Atkins. But agents failed to find a single pot plant to eradicate.

The DEA’s $14 million marijuana eradication program has been the subject of a fair amount of criticism in recent years. Twelve members of Congress have pushed to eliminate the program and use the money instead to fund domestic-violence prevention and deficit-reduction programs.

DEA records show the program has been effective in some states, most notably California. Agents pulled 2.6 million marijuana plants in 2015, seizing more than 1,600 weapons in the process. Nearly $5.4 million was funneled into that state’s program.

Kentucky’s $1.9-million program had the next largest number of eradicated plants, more than 570,000.

No changes for Utah marijuana laws: Bill for expanded CBD use killed

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah will not pass a medical marijuana bill this year.

Lawmakers on Thursday killed the more restrictive of two medical marijuana bills introduced in the state. They rejected a broader plan earlier this week.

The proposal by Rep. Brad Daw of Orem and Sen. Evan Vickers of Cedar City would have allowed those with certain debilitating conditions to use a cannabis extract that has very low levels of psychoactive THC but has large amounts of cannabidiol (CBD).

Daw says there is not enough money in the budget for the proposal this year. He says he plans to introduce the proposal again next year.

Fate of Utah medical marijuana plan unclear; Key vote postponed

SALT LAKE CITY (Cannabist) — A key vote on a medical marijuana proposal opposed by the Mormon church has been pushed off until Monday after Utah’s Senate on Friday ran out of time debating the measure.

The proposal would allow tens of thousands of residents with certain chronic conditions to consume marijuana in edible forms and as an e-cigarette-style vapor but would ban smoking the drug in a cigarette form.

“It is not a bill that allows Dr. Feelgood to come and specialize in pot medicine,” said its sponsor, Republican Sen. Mark Madsen of Eagle Mountain.

The nearly hour-long debate Friday came two weeks after the Mormon church announced it opposed the measure out of fears it could lead to unintended consequences.

Supporters considered the faith’s position a heavy blow because the majority of Utah lawmakers are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Utah panel endorses expanded cannabis oil use, in-state production

SALT LAKE CITY (Cannabist) — A proposal to allow Utah residents to use oil extracted from marijuana to treat more ailments, including cancer and HIV, received an early vote of support Wednesday from some state lawmakers.

The measure is one of two before the Health and Human Services Interim Committee that would expand Utah’s very limited medical marijuana program, which currently allows use of the extract only by those with severe epilepsy who meet certain conditions. No smoking of the drug is allowed, nor is any growing or distribution in Utah.

Under the current law, those who can have the oil must get it from other states, such as neighboring Colorado. That would change under both proposals lawmakers are working on, though smoking pot would remain banned.

On Wednesday, the committee voted 10-5 to support a proposed program from Rep. Brad Daw of Orem and Sen. Evan Vickers of Cedar City, both Republicans. Besides epilepsy, it would allow the use of the extract for those with cancer, HIV, AIDS and certain chronic pain conditions.

Daw and Vickers say 2,000 to 5,000 people would be issued cards under the proposed program.

Utah Governor Open to Legalizing Medical Marijuana

(SaltLakeTribune) Gov. Gary Herbert said Thursday that he would be open to legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, provided the science shows it can benefit patients and tight regulations can be put in place to control distribution.

“I’m open to the idea of medical marijuana,” the governor said, “and the discussion of how it can be used as a medicine based on science, and making sure we have good, collaborative efforts so we can answer the questions that are out there.”

That appears to be a change from his position during the recent legislative session, when he expressed concerns about a bill sponsored by Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Saratoga Springs, that would have created a state-licensed system of medical marijuana growing facilities and dispensaries where patients could buy the drug with a doctor’s recommendation. At the time, Herbert said the bill could lead to a “slippery slope” toward legal, recreational use.

How special interests killed Utah’s medical marijuana bill

(SFGate) Since returning home to Utah, Farr has stopped using cannabis. Her religious convictions, which are shared by 90 percent of the Utah state legislature, preclude her from breaking the law. She still has cancer that needs to be treated and some of her symptoms have returned.

For the last three weeks, she has been driving over an hour away from her home to Salt Lake City to lobby for S.B. 259, a bill that would have made her medical cannabis treatments legal to purchase and use in state. At just about 10-weeks-old, Baby Gabe has spent nearly half of his life at the capitol lobby with his mom.

On Monday night, Utah’s S.B. 259 died by one flipped vote in the state Senate. Despite overwhelming support from the public and polls evidencing support across all demographics, the bill was killed behind closed doors by special interest groups who feared financial loss by providing freedom of medical choice to chronic and terminally ill patients.