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Legalizing Marijuana in Utah

Marijuana is mostly used for recreational or medicinal purposes and for religious and spiritual

purposes. It is commonly ingested through smoking, vapour, or when mixed with food. Until

recently, the use of marijuana for any purpose, be it medicinal or recreational, was outlawed in

most states in the United States and its use was considered illegal. However, after a strong case

brought forward by pro legalization groups, doctors and other concerned parties regarding its

benefits medically, more states have started legalizing the use of marijuana for this purpose

(Anderson, Mark & Daniel 25)

In Utah, marijuana is illegal and only people with severe epilepsy are allowed to use a

non-psychoactive medical form of the drug. Possession of the drug in the state, even in very

negligible quantities, is considered a minor crime. The drug was outlawed in Utah in 1915,

making it one of the very first states do so. In 2014, Governor Gary Herbert signed a bill

legalizing the possession of THC cannabidioloil, but only if this was recommended by a certified

doctor. The bill, however, did not provide for a way for patients to legally acquire the drug

(Gettman).

Utah is known as one of the most conservative states in the United States, consisting of a

large Mormon population, a group that still largely depends on their own beliefs and practices
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and which is not really welcoming to drastic changes, especially those changes they view as

going against their core values and practices. Therefore, it is safe to say that even if they learnt of

the benefits of marijuana, they will not really be willing to accept something foreign to help them

deal with their medical or recreational needs (Gettman).

It is therefore logical to say that it will be hard for any legislation brought forward that

supports the legalization of marijuana to be supported by either the voters or the legislature of

Utah unless this legislation is preceded by thorough and informative public awareness

campaigns. In 2015, Senator Mark Madsen, a Republican senator from Saratoga Springs,

proposed a Senate Bill 259. The bill stipulated that those with diseases like AIDS, Alzheimer’s

disease, muscle wasting, cachexia, nausea, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (Gettman). The bill,

however, failed to make it through Senate with those legislators who failed to vote for it pointing

out that the bill was rushed and that they were not fully conversant with its provisions.

The senator again tried to reintroduce the failed bill in 2016 and in addition to the original

stipulations, it encouraged the establishment of mechanisms to ensure that the drug went through

appropriate channels and was well and sufficiently monitored from the time of planting to the

time of administration or consumption by patients. However, despite the bill passing in the

senate by, the House committees in charge of human services and that in charge of health failed

to pass the bill. In the end however, a nonbinding resolution was passed unanimously and

Congress made it legal for the drug to be studied for medicinal purposes.

Many states in America are now legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreationaluse

with California, Oregon and Washington State among the latest ones to legalize its use after

citizens voted on the issue on November 8th 2016. This example of other states embracing this

idea should also serve as an example to the people of Utah and it should be an indication that
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maybe it’s time to look into this and confirm as to why many of these states are warming up to it

(Adler & James 38).

Utah has such strict laws on use of marijuana for any purposes that even politicians and

other prominent personalities are not spared. Donna Weinholtz, the wife of Democratic

gubernatorial candidate was arrested and charged with misdemeanor possession charges because

she was using marijuana to help with the pain resulting from arthritis and a degenerative spinal

condition (Adler & James 38). Federal authorities, however, chose not to pursue charges against

her, as opposed to local authorities. That is why the Democratic candidate went into the election

pledging to help reform Utah’s medical marijuana system.

The government and the people of Utah need to look to the other states, even their

neighbor states, like Colorado, where marijuana has only been recently legalized and see this as

an opportunity to try out this new way of dealing with some of the ailments listed above. They

need to see the states that have legalized marijuana as an example that marijuana when legalized,

even if it is only for medicinal purposes, will go a long way in helping people with different

diseases the cause a lot of pain, ease this pain. Therefore, while it is understandable that people

who are very conservative want to stick to their beliefs, they should also consider the facts and

explore the benefits of marijuana and how the drug will indeed help a lot of people if made legal

(Choo et al., 77).

While the use of marijuana brings with it a potential for the increase in criminal activities

and also the risk of drug addiction and drug abuse as has been witnessed in a state like New

Hampshire, this can be curtailed if the state government and legislators are willing to put

together and formulate mechanisms that will ensure proper handling of the drug from the time it

is cultivated to the time of consumption by the patients who need the drug. Legalization of the
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drug will also only help to curtail the smuggling of the drugs by those people who feel that they

need the drug but are afraid of the government and law enforcement.

Marijuana use for medicinal and recreational purposes is fast and rapidly being accepted

in states all across the United States of America. Although some states like Utah are yet to accept

and endorse it, this may change in the future as more of its benefits are brought forward and as

more people are exposed to it, they continue to weigh the benefits versus the demerits. Utah, a

traditional state in the United States may take a longer time to accept the use of the drug but

because of the several laws constantly being introduced in the senate, and with one of the laws

already having been passed allowing for the study of the drug for medicinal purposes, maybe it’s

use for the same purpose by patients may not be viewed as a far-fetched idea in the future

(Tinklenberg 100).

If the several bills indicated above prove anything, it’s that the state government is not

really willing or ready to adapt to a changing America and that they have not really stated taking

the efforts to legalize marijuana seriously. This attitude needs to change and people and the

constituents of these legislators need to push them harder in an effort to try and make them face

the facts and help legalize marijuana (Tinklenberg 98). It is medicine and it can help people and

they should really consider putting it up for a vote so that the electorate can decide on the way

forward.
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Works Cited

Adler, Jonathan N., and James A. Colbert. "Medicinal use of marijuana—polling results." New

England Journal of Medicine 368.22 (2013): 866-868.

Anderson, D. Mark, and Daniel I. Rees. "The Legalization of Recreational Marijuana: How

Likely Is the Worst‐Case Scenario?." Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 33.1

(2014): 221-232.

Choo, Esther K., et al. "The impact of state medical marijuana legislation on adolescent

marijuana use." Journal of Adolescent Health 55.2 (2014): 160-166.

Gettman, Jon. "Marijuana in Utah."

Tinklenberg, Jared, ed. Marijuana and Health Hazards: Methodological Issues in Issues in

Current Research. Elsevier, 2012.