LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IN UTAH STATE 1

Legalization of Marijuana in Utah State

Christopher Vargas

Salt Lake Community College

LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IN UTAH STATE 2

Contents

Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 3

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 4

Methodology ....................................................................................................................... 4

Results ................................................................................................................................. 4

Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 5

Uses of Medical Marijuana ................................................................................................. 5

The Policy on Medical Cannabis in Utah State .................................................................. 6

Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 8

References ........................................................................................................................... 9
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Executive Summary

Medical marijuana remains illegal in Utah and other specific states across the U.S.

Therefore, as a social issue, medical marijuana legalization continues to generate a lot of

discussions in Utah. The report focuses on providing the current state of the social issue in Utah.

It was noted that the medical marijuana legalization process is on its final stage in the State. The

report shows that Utahns are ready to exercise their democratic rights concerning the medical

marijuana initiative, as more than 50 percent of the population of eligible voters support the

program. Also, the report found out that through the ballot initiative, programmed to take place

in late 2018, will aid in legalizing the production as well as the use of medical cannabis in Utah.

Therefore, the State, as well as Federal government, should provide all the necessary resources to

ensure Utahns exercise their democratic rights by voting for or against the initiative based on

informed decisions.
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Introduction

The government and private agencies have scrutinized the use of medical marijuana

through scientific research studies in Utah and the whole of the United States to date. To that

end, the findings of the research studies have facilitated the need for change in the way medical

marijuana is viewed from its medical benefits to patients with chronic illness. Hence many States

have legalized marijuana for medical purposes. Utah is also on its final steps toward the same

course.

Methodology

I utilized secondary research method to gather existing data across different scholarly

sources, including websites of the government agency, books, journals as well as research

papers. Therefore, to obtain valid information, I looked for various databases of reputable journal

articles as well as official Utah State government websites. The research method was selected for

the study due to its cost-effectiveness as well as convenience. The websites generated useful

information for the research study. However, the secondary sources may not have provided

information regarding the support for medical marijuana initiative which is representative of

Utah's entire population.

Results

According to the research findings, the number of States legalizing marijuana for medical

reasons has been on the rise in the past three decades, and Utah will be among the list of States

that have commissioned the use of marijuana, especially for medical purposes. Furthermore, the

result of the study shows that the support for the medical marijuana initiative in Utah increased

over time, indicating the future success of the action. Moreover, more than 23 States across the

U.S. have legalized medical marijuana. The finding of the research study shows that once
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legalized, medical marijuana will act as a medical and therapeutic intervention that helps relieve

pain or symptoms among patients with chronic illness.

Discussion

Since California became the first State to legalize medical cannabis in late 1996, many

states across the U.S. have initiated similar policies. At least 23 States have legalized the use of

medical cannabis to date. To that effect, different States have changed the laws as well as

policies concerning the use of medical cannabis to date (Sheets, 2018).

Most importantly, various States that have legalized medical cannabis use allow for a

comprehensive program. The comprehensive program facilitates many initiatives that include

improving access to the substance among people with different health problems and making it

manageable by medical marijuana use. First of all, those who use cannabis for medical purposes

are protected from specific criminal penalties associated with the use of the substance for the

same purpose. Also, the laws allow for access to medical cannabis via dispensaries, home

cultivation, as well as other systems controlled by the federal or State government (Sheets,

2018). Furthermore, the policies facilitate the use of medical cannabis through an array of

strains, especially those containing "low THC." Besides, the successful legalization of medical

cannabis use permits either vaporization or smoking of a variety of marijuana products,

especially extract as well as plant material (Sheets, 2018).

Uses of Medical Marijuana

Medical marijuana can be utilized for therapeutic purposes. Essentially, Delta-9-

tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is one of the marijuana constituents, has therapeutic values

and acts as a pain as well as symptom reliever, especially in patients with cancer, multiple

sclerosis, and glaucoma (MacCallum and Russo, 2018). In addition, medical marijuana can be
LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA IN UTAH STATE 6

used to manage nausea as well as vomiting in patients with bowel resection issues and under

postoperative care. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) also has appetite-enhancing properties

that can help boost the appetite of patients with chronic liver illness, dementia, chronic kidney

failure, hypothyroidism, as well as hepatitis. Other constituents of medical marijuana, such as

cannabidiol (CBD) as well as phytocannabinoid, have a putative therapeutic use, especially for

managing seizure disorder, an affective disorder as well as treating obesity and epilepsy

(MacCallum and Russo, 2018). While medical marijuana is legal in 23 States, its use remains

limited in different States, including Utah. Discussions concerning the therapeutic application of

medical marijuana continue globally, with restrictive policies on the substance emphasizing the

negative consequences, such as intoxication, as well as the danger of abuse (Cambron,

Guttmannova, and Fleming, 2017). The revival of the struggle for the legalization of medical

marijuana arose from the need to find appropriate interventions for the management of different

symptoms as well as chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, cancer alongside multiple

Sclerosis (MacCallum and Russo, 2018). Specifically, the proponents of medical cannabis hinge

their claim of medical benefits of the substance on its potential to relieve the abovementioned

chronic diseases as well as symptoms.

The Policy on Medical Cannabis in Utah State

The initiative concerning the legalization of medical marijuana is under proposition 2 in

Utah. The proposition 2 advocates for the medical use of marijuana across the state. The

proposition aims at allowing people affected by particular diseases as well as medical problems

to use a recommendation from a registered doctor for purchasing extracts of medical cannabis

from various dispensaries across the State. Furthermore, the proposition will permit medical
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marijuana cardholders, residing at least 100 miles away from an authorized marijuana

dispensary, to grow their can for medical use (Davidson, 2018).

Irrespective of the struggle and campaign by various agencies and organization to achieve

unanimous decision regarding medical marijuana legalization and use, different bodies hold

multiple opinions regarding Utah's push for the Medical Marijuana Act. For example, while Utah

Patients Coalition advocates for the legalization of medical marijuana, other organizations, such

as Drug Safe Utah disapproves the initiative which the government plans to be implemented by

the end of 2018. Another organization that does not support the initiative is The Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter-day Saints. The religious organization bases its argument against the use of

medical marijuana on religious grounds (Winslow, 2018).

The LDS church said about Prop 2 that it was “not the right answer.” Saying it was a

threat to health and public safety. Especially with Utah teens and children. They believe it would

make marijuana generally available for recreational use with few controls (Walch, 2018). The

Utah Medical Association is another group that led an opposition against Proposition 2. Saying

the ballot did not provide strict enough controls for the use of marijuana as a medical treatment.

Arguing patients will simply get whatever a distributor persuades them to buy. Michelle

McOmber, CEO of the Utah Medical Association, said, “That’s not medicine. It could be

cookies, brownies, all sorts of different products” (Anderson and Wood, 2018).

The support for the initiative of marijuana legalization has increased among the Utahns to

date. Research shows that at least 50 percent of people living in Utah State is in support of the

proposition, with specific organizations from religious backgrounds showing their lack of

support for the initiative as shown in figure 1(Winslow, 2018). Initially, different agencies

collected about 153,894 signatures with regard to the medical marijuana initiative Statewide,
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exemplifying enough signature to push the initiative forward (Davidson, 2018). So with that,

proposition 2 concerning marijuana legalization is a serious issue for all Utahns across different

backgrounds that will be handled by the end of 2018.

Figure 1: An image that shows a graph of support for Proposition 2. Source: Winslow, B.

(October 16, 2018). Poll: support for Utah’s medical marijuana ballot initiative dips to

51% three weeks before Election Day. Fox 13: A Tribune Broadcasting Station.

Retrieved from https://fox13now.com/2018/10/16/poll-support-for-utahs-medical-

marijuana-ballot-initiative-dips-to-51-three-weeks-before-election-day/

Conclusion

In conclusion, the initiative concerning the legalization of medical marijuana in Utah

State has massive support irrespective of opposition from different organizations, such as

religious groups. The government of Utah State will give an opportunity to registered voters to

decide the fate of the initiative by the end of 2018. If approved by the majority, the proposition
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will facilitate people with chronic diseases and symptoms discussed above to use medical

marijuana to manage and relieve pain as well as symptoms of the chronic diseases.
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References

Anderson, T. W., & Wood, B. (2018, August 23). LDS Church announces opposition to Utah

medical marijuana initiative - but says it does not object to medical pot with proper

safeguards. Retrieved December 10, 2018, from

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/08/23/lds-church-announces

Cambron, C., Guttmannova, K., & Fleming, C. B. (2017). State and national contexts in

evaluating cannabis laws: A case study of Washington State. Journal of Drug

Issues, 47(1), 74-90.

Davidson, L. (2018, May 29). Utahns will be voting on medical marijuana and Medicaid

expansion — but not Utah’s candidate nominating law. The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved

from https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/05/29/utahns-will-be-voting-on-medical-

marijuana-and-medicaid-expansion-but-not-utahs-candidate-nominating-law-says-top-

election-official/

MacCallum, C. A., & Russo, E. B. (2018). Practical considerations in medical cannabis

administration and dosing. European journal of internal medicine.

Sheets, M. (2018, April 17). Medical marijuana set to be legalized in Utah and Oklahoma this

year - leaving just 18 states still opposed to the drug. Dailymail. Retrieved from

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-5627045/Medical-marijuana-set-legalized-

Utah-Oklahoma-year.html

Walch, T. (2018, September 17). Prop. 2 'not the right answer,' but church leaders urge Utah

Legislature to legalize medical marijuana by year's end. Retrieved December 10, 2018,

from https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900032261/prop-2-not-the-right-answer-but-

church-leaders-urge-utah-legislature-to-legalize-medical-marijuana.html
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Winslow, B. (2018 October 16,). Poll: support for Utah’s medical marijuana ballot initiative dips

to 51% three weeks before Election Day. Fox 13: A Tribune Broadcasting Station.

Retrieved from https://fox13now.com/2018/10/16/poll-support-for-utahs-medical-

marijuana-ballot-initiative-dips-to-51-three-weeks-before-election-day/