Policymakers on Tuesday reiterated their commitment to not allow recreational marijuana in Utah; they went ahead with the legislation to streamline the medical cannabis program emerging in the state.
The multifaceted bill discussed will provide:
- The opportunity to expunge any prosecution faced by them in the past. Patients can now remove any record of marijuana conviction against them as a result of their possession of cannabis in the form that will now be considered as legal.
- The number of cannabis recommendations that can be issued by a qualified medical practitioner has been increased from 175 to 275 in the case of general practitioners and for specialists, it has gone up from 300 to 600.
- Elimination of a much-criticized packaging prerequisite for raw flowers- the use of a blister pack to package raw flowers for sale.
Patron of the bill, Senate Majority Leader Evan Vickers, who is also a pharmacist, put to rest all the concerns regarding the state moving towards legalization of recreational cannabis. Vickers acknowledged that it is very tricky to design a practical cannabis program; he described developing a program that had the right balance of control and flexibility as “tiptoeing through a minefield.”
There were some voices of protest rising against the bill, but the bill passed with majority votes. Vickers underlined the fact that his intention is to strengthen the cannabis program of the state; it is expected to be fully functional by next month.