New Effort to Legalize Medical Cannabis in Utah
On May 26, Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education (TRUCE Utah) will host a documentary called The Scientist followed by a panel discussion in Provo, Utah. The goal is to end misconceptions about medical cannabis. TRUCE Utah plans on launching a ballot initiative to legalize medical cannabis in Utah this June.
The Scientist chronicles the story of Raphael Mechoulam, who survived the Holocaust, later isolated tetrahydrocannabinol over 50 years ago and soon thereafter became “the father” of THC and cannabis research. The list of panelist speakers includes Stenquist, Doug Rice of the Epilepsy Association of Utah and Jim Hutchins, a neuroscientist at Weber State University.
To give some background, Provo was named the most conservative city in America by The Bay Area Center for Voting Research. 2008’s Happy Valley documented Provo’s secret drug problem. Hosting a cannabis-related event in Provo goes against all odds, but organizer Christine Stenquist is determined. “I’m frustrated they haven’t done anything legislatively. It’s time they listened to the people—I’m so tired of politicians ignoring the patients,” Stenquist told the Standard-Examiner. Last year, Sen. Mark Madsen’s medical cannabis bill passed the Senate but was struck down the initiative in a House committee. “All we can do is push forward,” Stenquist added. “We’re on the right side of history and science supports it.”
Stenquist and TRUCE members plan on filing an application with the Lieutenant Governor’s office where if accepted, it will go on to the Governor’s office of Management and Budget for approval. Once that happens, the bill sponsors must public hearings in seven areas of the state. After that, a petition with 113,143 signatures, coming from at least 26 or Utah’s 29 state senate districts must be collected. TRUCE Utah is currently looking for donations and volunteers to educate and petition.
26 states have legalized cannabis in one form or another, with at least three more to follow. Utah is one of only 21 states that haven’t yet legalized medical or recreational cannabis and it is nearly surrounded by states that tolerate cannabis in some form.
