from the Do-you-want-the-wizard-or-the-skull? dept.
The Mormon Church and Governor Gary Herbert have come out in favor of medical cannabis legalization in Utah. However, the legislative compromise would be more restrictive for Utahans than a November 2018 ballot initiative:
The Mormon church joined lawmakers, the governor and advocates to back a deal on Thursday that would legalize medical marijuana in conservative Utah after months of fierce debate. The compromise comes as people prepare to vote in November on an insurgent medical marijuana ballot initiative that held its ground despite opposition from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
[...] The Utah-based faith had opposed the ballot proposal over fears it could lead to more broad use, but its ranking global leader, Jack Gerard, said leaders were "thrilled" to be a part of the effort to "alleviate human pain and suffering".
Though it still must go to a vote, the deal has the key backing of both the church and leaders of the Republican-dominated state legislature, who said the regulations in the hard-won agreement had their seal of approval. Unlike the ballot initiative, the compromise won't allow people to grow their own marijuana if they live too far from a dispensary. It also doesn't allow certain types of edible marijuana that could appeal to children, like cookies and brownies.
Some medical cannabis advocates are not on board with the deal:
Medical marijuana advocates are backing the deal to avoid wrangling and uncertainty that could continue if the ballot initiative passes. "There will be medical cannabis here in our day in Utah," said the advocate DJ Schanz. The two sides agreed to scale back media campaigns supporting and opposing the ballot measure known as Proposition 2.
Not all medical marijuana advocates were convinced: Christine Stenquist with the group Truce said she remained skeptical about the deal and urged continued support for the ballot proposal. Smoking marijuana would not be allowed under the ballot proposal. It instead allows edible forms, lotions or electronic cigarettes.
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The medical cannabis advocates suing the state after Monday's passage of a Proposition 2 replacement bill are seeking to overturn that law, yes — but they also want to contest what they see as government overreach in muting the voice of the people in an election.
In the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in 3rd District Court by former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, the heads of the Epilepsy Association of Utah (EAU) and Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education (TRUCE) accuse the Legislature of abridging the rights of voters in an effort to appease The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And they argue that the Utah Medical Cannabis Act violates the state constitution's provision for ballot initiatives by sweeping aside the plan approved by a majority of voters.
"For three years, we advocated on the Hill," said Christine Stenquist, president of TRUCE. "For two years, we've been in a campaign for the proposition. And when I saw it undermined so quickly on the first business day, I started to wonder: Is the initiative process in Utah just a suggestion box? Are our votes really meaning anything in this political process? How long do we just have to let politics happen to us?"
The state constitution vests legislative power equally in the Legislature and "the people of the State of Utah." Some of the architects of the Proposition 2 replacement law, however, say the lawsuit stands on shaky legal ground.
Previously: Mormon Church, Politicians, and Advocates Back Medical Cannabis Compromise in Utah
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 06 2018, @07:15PM
The only state with a State Church.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday October 06 2018, @07:18PM (1 child)
I can't say that I like them much when they're straight. WTF - are they any nicer when they're high?
We're gonna be able to vacation in Gaza, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and maybe Minnesota soon. Incredible times.
(Score: 1) by Ethanol-fueled on Saturday October 06 2018, @09:14PM
I was about to say that it's impossible to tell the difference.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 06 2018, @07:24PM (3 children)
I'm a Mormon, and I had to look up who Jack Gerard [lds.org] was. The highest-ranking global leader is President Russel M. Nelson, [lds.org] the Prophet.
Brother Gerard is a general officer of the Church, and I'm sure he's acting under the direction of the Church's top leadership here, but the wording in the article is odd. It makes it sound like he's the top dog in the Church organization, and that's not the case.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday October 06 2018, @08:47PM
Thanks for the info. Yeah, I don't see how "ranking global leader" could not be a mistake.
Associated Press also called him that: https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2018/10/04/us/ap-us-medical-marijuana-utah.html [nytimes.com]
An earlier AP article just called him "a leader": https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/utah/articles/2018-09-17/mormon-leaders-call-for-new-medical-marijuana-plan-in-months [usnews.com]
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday October 07 2018, @03:34PM (1 child)
your religion is hilarious. congrats.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Sunday October 07 2018, @11:53PM
You think that's funny? Get a Mormon to tell you about their magic under garments.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 06 2018, @08:05PM (1 child)
I've seen dozens grains of salt dissolve in catholic holy water, but no mormon has ever demonstrated they could achieve this feat.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 06 2018, @08:37PM
The Mormons got plenty of good press for how they responded to Book of Mormon, the Musical. [latimes.com] Taking something like that in stride with good humor is pretty impressive.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by noneof_theabove on Saturday October 06 2018, @08:51PM (3 children)
should be removed from ANY church that performs any act of government.
Know who owns more property than Trump? LDS, Scientology, Catholic.....
Separation of church and state is in the constitution for a damn good reason.
I will give them 1 exemption of "government speech"...
You can state that voting is something all should do, as in
give unto Cesar that which is Cesar's and give unto god that which is god's.
An any one in government that can't leave their church on the entrance steps should
be thrown out just like JC did at temple to the money changes.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Saturday October 06 2018, @11:58PM (2 children)
The church did NOT perform an act of government here. It is decidedly NOT the government's job to suggest how people should vote.
(Score: 2) by dry on Sunday October 07 2018, @06:43AM (1 child)
Of course it is the governments job to tell you how to vote, go to this polling station and take this ballot and make a clear mark in the circle beside the candidate of your choice.
What the government shouldn't tell you is which circle to mark, just to clearly mark it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 08 2018, @03:15AM
Churches aren't supposed to say who to vote for either, but they do have a First Amendment right to advocate on moral issues.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday October 07 2018, @12:29AM (4 children)
Article is very wrong, among other things the new bill expressly prohibits edibles. Tinctures are allowed as far as things you can put in your mouth, but that's it. Put a couple drops of tincture in your brownie mix to make them happy brownies and you're breaking the law. Also wax is only allowed with extreme precautions, pretty much you have to not be getting relief any other way after trying for at least 90 days. The list of conditions is riducously short and before your Dr can prescribe it for you, he has to take 40hrs of continuing ed each year specifically about Reefer Madness, the pharmacist who fills it also must be a fully licensed pharmacist and also needs to attend reefer madness training for 40hrs each year.
Raw plant is disallowed, you can't own it, you can't grow it. If you live at least 100 miles from the nearest pharmacy (they're calling dispensaries, pharmacies), then you can go to downtown Salt Lake City and buy the raw plant from the one state owned pharmacy that can do it, but it's not really raw, it's processed into amounts not more than 1 gram (yep 1 gram) and you're allowed a 1 month supply of it, but it must be in bubble containers, no more than 30 grams per month. The state will supply it, just like they supply the liquor now.
Some good news in this bill. Cities can't prohibit dispensaries, err umm pharmacies from popping up if they permit tobacco shops or liquor stores (the liquor stores are all owned and managed by the church, err state sorry there isn't much difference here), and there tends to only be one of those per town of 100,000 residents. The state guarantees every county will have 1 license issued to operate a dispensary.
Really that's about the only good news in the seriously neutered bill. It's better than nothing I guess, but it's still making a lot of sick folks wish the job prospects in Colorado were a bit better.
Once the state gets a taste of the weed money and once the well connected Mormons playing Breaking Bad get their hands on the weed money (and of course the weed due to umm shrinkage), the laws will likely loosen up because those guys are going to want more outlets.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Pslytely Psycho on Sunday October 07 2018, @12:15PM (3 children)
"Once the state gets a taste of the weed money"
You hit the nail squarely there. And the reason Federal legalization is less than a decade away IMHO.
It's far too late for the government to shut down now. My state made $317 million last year in taxes and there are recreational stores everywhere. On a 10 mile, one way trip to work I pass 7 different recreational stores. They are damn near as ubiquitous as espresso shops of which I pass 11 of in the same distance.
We love coffee and weed up here in the PNW.
They aren't going to give up that income willingly.
Medical here is just a scam to grow your own legally. You pay a doctor who travels the state and is here for three days a month $200. He looks at your medical records and gives you a license that allows you to grow 6 plants for personal use. No one ever gets told no and it takes about 5 minutes per patient, he's busy as hell as there is a line from an hour before he opens until he closes. All conditions qualify. You just need medical records that say you saw a doctor for any reason, even if it's not recent. And the weed in the very few medical stores that survived recreational legalization is slightly cheaper as it's untaxed and you can buy clones to grow.
It's cool too, the only product in town that INCLUDES sales tax in the price. If it says $130 an ounce, you pay $130 dollars an ounce. Just like at your street dealers. (a nearly extinct species here, as store weed is frequently cheaper than the street prices were, and better, more consistent TESTED quality. Along with edibles, drinks, tinctures, waxes, oils, vapes and 60 or more varieties of sativa, indica or hybrids, a virtual smorgasbord!)
All this and open carry too.
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 2) by PartTimeZombie on Sunday October 07 2018, @11:57PM (2 children)
Meanwhile, where I live people are still arguing that pot should stay illegal, because people who smoke it associate with criminals.
I know...
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Monday October 08 2018, @10:16AM
I never actually thought I would see this happen. Got arrested a few times at NORML rallies in the '70's.
The stores are clean, well lit, with professional budtenders and ID is required up front of everyone before your allowed into the store proper.
Then it weed fucking heaven.
Saturday, Cinders sale was: $3.75 infused joints, $10 half gram dabs, $18.75 one gram cartridges.
My preferred is a Bodi High 1/2 g cartridge of 72% clear honey oil.......mmmm....mmmm! That's a top end cartridge and runs $40.
Life is goooood.
Oh yeah, Crime went down.
DUIs went down
Driving while high on weed went up some, but they never counted it separately before, and the combined total is roughly the same as before, no real increase.
Teen use went down.
You see more grandmas at the stores than 'stoners.'
It's regulated, tested for strength and purity (many growth agents are banned from weed), professionally packaged and labeled. They have 'smell jars' with samples you can see clearly as they are magnifiers. Yeah. It put street dealers out of business. We have a weed glut. Too bad we can't export it to you.
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Pslytely Psycho on Monday October 08 2018, @10:20AM
Oh yeah, you haven't lived until a cop checks out your stash, compliments you on your choice, and tells you that you have a tail light out, wishes you a good day, and leaves without issuing any citation.
10 years ago I would of had a heart attack in the same situation....
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.