Until a recent Health and Human Services Interim Committee meeting held on August 19 by state officials and Legislators, much was unclear about the participation of those who were awarded licenses from the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) to supply the state’s cannabis flower and products.
During last week’s meeting, Cody James, manager of Industrial Hemp and Medical Cannabis at UDAF, updated Legislators the progress of medical cannabis since pharmacies open doors in March and reported that all eight cultivators who were awarded licenses by the state were operational at this time.
According to James, although all state cultivators have begun operation, and are on track with state-imposed start date policies, a majority have yet to meet the estimated cannabis biomass projections they reported to UDAF when they applied for state licenses.
James also reported, licensees are experiencing growing pains that range from startup cost and finding grow site locations, to hiring staff. Not to mention setting roots during a pandemic. The product demand from patients has also played a factor “that nobody was expecting,” he added.
Currently the Utah Department of Health is reporting there are 8,261 active cardholders participating in the program – not including the 6,041 who are still using Unique Recommendation Letters.
Other notable proposed statutory changes were reported from UDAF during the medical cannabis session, which included modifications to the definition of cannabinoid products and the definition of cannabis concentrates to contain any product that includes cannabinoids extracted from naturally occurring biomatter.
This will allow the department to regulate cannabinoids that are extracted from material other than cannabis. This decision was spurred by several licensed processors in the state who expressed interest in using certain cannabinoids to produce others; for example, converting CBD into THC.
“We are fully expecting that there’re going to be several changes to this program almost yearly for probably ten years or more,” James said. “I don’t know if it’s ever going to plateau as far as not moving forward educationally and with information that comes to be.”
The department is also proposing that legislators adjust the definition of total composite THC to include Delta-8 THC.
Testing procedures are also being revised, according to the department. This is an attempt to minimize the cost of testing while maintaining high product standards and procedures.
Changes would create three testing categories: cannabis plant products, cannabis concentrates, and cannabis products. Each category would have different testing requirements, and test results would be applied to derived products where possible.
James has been working with the state’s medical cannabis program since it began in 2017. Earlier this year, he took over the role of the state’s cannabis czar at UDAF after Andrew Ridgy abruptly left the position in March to pursue a startup health care app.
“I’ve been working with the state and the Department of Agriculture for 15 years now,” said James during an interview with Salt Baked City. “I have always been known as somebody that can come in and fix programs, so I jumped at the chance to come in and help start this one. I think we have done a good job so far.”
To get more details about the recent Health and Human Services Interim Committee meeting and the state of Utah medical cannabis, watch our interview with Cody James linked to this article. Or, follow this link to the Utah State Legislature website to listen to the committee meeting in whole.
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