Don’t expect much action from the 2017 Utah legislature on medical marijuana.
Lawmakers have struggled mightily over the last two sessions trying to find some compromise that would allow the use of medical cannabis to aid many medical conditions, but they could never get over the final hill. In fact, former Sen. Mark Madsen was so frustrated by the fight that he announced he was going to move to South America in search of more freedoms.
This year, lawmakers probably won’t cross that particular Rubicon, opting instead for more study on the benefits and medical applications of cannabis.
Sen. Brian Shiozawa, R-Salt Lake City, was one of the earliest legislative proponents of more research into the issue. He says directing the University of Utah to conduct extensive scientific research on the medical benefits of cannabis will give lawmakers more reliable information with which to work.
“We’re going to have the University look into how medical marijuana could help chronic pain, which could reduce our dependence on opioids. We’re going to have them investigate whether it could help with cancer,” he said.
Shiozawa says the biggest problem is marijuana is still classified as a schedule one drug, which means the federal regulations on doing any research are particularly onerous. But, tasking the University of Utah conduct the research in conjunction with the Utah Science and Technology Research initiative (USTAR) will be a way to get around some of those traditional roadblocks.
One of the reasons for more caution this year is the new Donald Trump administration in Washington, and his Attorney General pick Jeff Sessions. Sessions has long been an opponent of marijuana use. As the nation’s top cop, he will be in a position to lead a federal crackdown on the use of the substance, both medically and recreationally.
Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, will be carrying one piece of legislation that will help with the push for more research.
Daw is not overly concerned about Trump’s new AG and what he might do. He said he knows that in a recent congressional appropriation to the Justice Department, national lawmakers said none of the funding could be used to prosecute folks working with medical uses for marijuana.
So while it is true, said Daw, that federal law prohibits the use or distribution of the marijuana plant; clearly, Congress has also taken a stand for medical marijuana use/medical research.
Daw’s HB130 provides for the licensure of private entities that would grow, process and distribute medical marijuana to a sanctioned research facility.
THC – the chemical that gives users a “high” – can only be 10 percent or less of the overall drug dosage in the medical tests, the bill says.
While Congress may be taking steps to make it easier for the medical use of marijuana, Shiozawa says they need to go further.
“Our Congressional delegation, President Trump, and Attorney General Sessions should do what President Obama never did, and change marijuana to a Schedule 2 drug,” he said. “At least let us do the research on whether it has some beneficial medical uses.”
