Gov. Gary Herbert issued a statement on Thursday saying he would “actively oppose” the ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana in Utah, saying the law passed by legislators in the 2018 session is sufficient for now.
Herbert said HB195 and HB197, both sponsored by Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, which allows terminally ill people to use medical marijuana grown by the state. The petition initiative, which is close to getting enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, would make medical cannabis available to more people.
In his statement, Herbert said the ballot initiative “has significant flaws” and “would potentially open the door to recreational use.”
“I believe the consequences of this initiative, even if they are unintended, will do more harm than good,” he said.
Because of this, Herbert said he would “actively oppose” the initiative.
