Here in Utah we’re navigating a new green horizon. Since the Farm Act took effect late 2018, hemp growing has boomed in the state, now allowing preexisting local CBD stores to offer products made and grown in state. Quality has gone up and new businesses are pooping up all over the state. Now medical cannabis is making its introduction, residents are only left with more questions about the abundance of new state laws that are sweeping the Beehive state.
Below are the resulting changes from Senate Bill 121 and companion bill, House Bill 425 that passed legislature unanimously this week. These bills drastically change the way things will be rolling forward, and have many Utah patients excited for the evolution of this new program.
Here are the Top Ten changes to our medical cannabis and hemp laws from this week:
- Drivers will no longer be criminalized for an inactive cannabis metabolite in their system.
- Blister packs are no longer required. Glass or plastic containers can be used for unprocessed flower.
- With a warrant, law enforcement can only access the patient system to determine if an individual is an active patient or not.
- General practitioner’s patient limits have been increased from 175, to 275, while certified specialists increased from 500 to 600.
- A CBD user who fails a drug test because of trace amount of THC in their system will be held harmless unless there is evidence that the individual illegally possessed or used THC.
- Patients now have 90 days to renew their medical cannabis card, rather than 30 days as before.
- Patients convicted of cannabis use before Proposition 2 can seek expungement of their crime under certain circumstances.
- For the remainder of 2020, patients can use their informal recommendation letters to make purchases from medical cannabis pharmacy.
- CBD products obtained outside of Utah are explicitly legalized; previously only in-state verified products could be sold or used by Utahns.
- Medical cannabis users are exempt from a prohibition on carrying a dangerous weapon while in possession of a controlled substance.
There was a number of additional changes that took effect with these bills sponsored by Senator Evan Vickers and Representative Jennifer Daily-Provost. You can read the bills and others at full length on the Utah State Legislature website.
