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Debating Medical Marijuana On Wednesday's Access Utah

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Utah Patients Coalition, which is leading a ballot initiative campaign in support of medical marijuana, says that “right now, Utah patients battling cancer, seizures, and other life-threatening conditions must break the law in order to relieve their pain and suffering. By passing the medical cannabis ballot initiative … Utah can end this cruel and unjust policy.” A recent poll, published by UtahPolicy.com, shows that 77% of Utahns strongly or somewhat favor access to medical marijuana. It appears likely that this measure will appear on the November ballot in Utah.

Rep. Brad Daw R-Orem, says "when I poll my constituents, they want medical cannabis. But what they want is a carefully controlled program. Not the wide-open program the initiative’s sponsoring." Gov. Gary Herbert says “I don’t support the current ballot initiative because it poses a host of unintended legal and law enforcement issues.” Rep. Daw was a sponsor of several bills which passed recently in the Utah Legislature, and which were signed by Gov. Herbert: HB 195, gives terminally ill patients a "right to try" medical marijuana, and HB 197 gives the state a monopoly on marijuana cultivation, processing, and sales of medical cannabis; and SB 130 which amends provisions related to cannabidiol products.

We’ll talk about Medical Marijuana today. Our guests include: Michelle McOmber, CEO of the Utah Medical Association; and Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem.

 

Tom Williams worked as a part-time UPR announcer for a few years and joined Utah Public Radio full-time in 1996. He is a proud graduate of Uintah High School in Vernal and Utah State University (B. A. in Liberal Arts and Master of Business Administration.) He grew up in a family that regularly discussed everything from opera to religion to politics. He is interested in just about everything and loves to engage people in conversation, so you could say he has found the perfect job as host “Access Utah.” He and his wife Becky, live in Logan.