A Utah lawmaker's proposals that would allow terminally ill people to use certain forms of marijuana and farmers to grow it for research purposes passed their first hurdle in a committee despite criticism that the piecemeal approach doesn't go far enough.
Rep. Brad Daw, a Republican from Orem, said during a hearing Wednesday that the measures help dying people try another alternative that may help and provides a way for researchers to get marijuana locally.
Medical marijuana advocate Christine Stenquist says the state needs comprehensive medical marijuana legalization so everyone with chronic pain, and not just those with terminally ill conditions, can get relief.
She and other advocates are gathering signatures to get an imitative on the November ballot so they can ask voters to pass broad marijuana legalization.
