Utah legislators have reiterated throughout the 2017 legislative session that medical marijuana will not be legalized this year.
Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, again stressed that point during a committee meeting Monday in which he presented Senate Bill 211, the Cannabinoid Product Act.
The bill has some wording which, to the casual reader, might make it appear as though it would legalize cannabis products for medical use. However, Vickers told the Senate committee the bill lays out a framework for medical marijuana that is only "triggered" if separate action is taken to legalize cannabis products in Utah.
For instance, he said it could be triggered by the Utah Legislature passing a separate piece of legislation, a referendum or by the Legislature choosing to put the issue on the ballot next year.
Vickers and other legislators decided, rather than pass legislation encompassing every aspect of medical marijuana, to pass separate pieces. Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, is sponsoring a bill that would clear the way for research on marijuana’s medicinal properties to take place.
The decision came at least in part, Vickers said, because of uncertainty over how President Donald Trump’s administration will address states that have legalized marijuana for medical and/or recreational use. Marijuana is still listed as a Schedule I drug federally, and is technically illegal on the federal level, though many states have legalized it for medical and/or recreational purposes.
The Trump administration announced Thursday that it expects to see greater enforcement of federal law in regard to recreational marijuana.
"There’s just some uncertainty on the federal level knowing what to do, so we thought it was prudent to continue the discussion of how the state would handle things," Vickers said.
The federal status of marijuana is also the reason why SB 211 outlines separate dispensaries for cannabis products, Vickers said, because a pharmacy that sold the products would be shut down.
Vickers’ bill outlines how medical marijuana would be cultivated, produced and sold in the state should any of those triggers come to pass, providing for an electronic monitoring system that would track marijuana products from the seed to the dispensary.
Different aspects of the program would be overseen by different state departments, including the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Health and the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing.
For instance, the DOA will determine how many dispensaries and labs are needed based on the number of qualified, registered patients in the state.
The bill would require the cannabis products to be dispensed in a medical dosage form, such as a pill or a tablet.
"If it’s a medicine, let’s treat it like a medicine," Vickers said.
The bill passed out of committee on a unanimous vote and will now head to the Senate for consideration.
"I am very excited about this bill," said Sen. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City. "This is a road map leading to medical marijuana. We’re building the fabric here, we’re setting it up, we’re getting it ready."
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Senate Committee Recommends Bill Outlining Medical Marijuana Regulation
Author: Katie England
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Photo Credit: Jeff Chiu
Website: Daily Herald
