POLITICS + GOVERNMENT

Poll shows strong support for medicinal cannabis in Utah

Mar 26, 2018, 4:35 PM | Updated: Aug 4, 2022, 12:10 pm

SALT LAKE CITY — More than three-fourths of Utahns say they support legalization of marijuana for medicinal use, including two-thirds of “very active” Mormons, according to a new UtahPolicy.com poll.

Seventy-seven percent of Utahns surveyed said they “strongly” or “somewhat” favor making medicinal cannabis legal in Utah, the Dan Jones & Associates poll found.

The poll results come as backers of a ballot initiative to legalize medicinal cannabis in Utah continue to gather and verify signatures to put the issue before voters in November.

Medicinal cannabis advocate Christine Stenquist attributes the poll numbers the scores of volunteers who have worked to educate the public on medicinal cannabis, the proposed ballot initiative and recent action in the state Legislature.

“I think we’re an educated population on this topic,” said Stenquist, founder and president of  Together for Responsible Cannabis Use and Education, or TRUCE.

The Utah Patients Coalition has said enough signatures have been gathered but still need to be verified to land the measure on the ballot in November. If that happens and the initiative passes, it will create “a brick-and-mortar facility for patients to go and obtain medicinal cannabis,” Stenquist said.

Under the proposed ballot measure, a program would be set up where Utahns with specific medical conditions can get a recommendation to use medicinal cannabis from their doctor, with qualifying patients being issued cards to access approved dispensaries and possess legal product, she said.

“It will establish a safe and secure program for patients who need assess to this,” Stenquist said.

Conditions listed in the Utah Patients Coalition ballot measure include cancer, epilepsy, ALS, AIDS, chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder, she said.

The Utah Legislature this year passed a pair of bills sponsored by Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem — one allowing patients with six months or less to live to legally try cannabis, and another to put in place a process to supply the plant to those patients and researchers.

Under Daw’s legislation, “a doctor has to determine that (a patient has) six months to live, and he also has to determine — or at lease believe — that medical cannabis … would be potentially helpful to them.”

Daw’s bills, like the proposed ballot initiative, allow only for nonsmoking use of cannabis.

“Medical cannabis, in my mind and in the minds of most of my colleagues, is it’s in a dosable form. In other words, it’s a pill, it’s a jell cap, it’s a transdermal, maybe it’s an oil that’s vaped. … There’s nothing medical about smoking it.”

The no-smoking factor may explain the support of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Church leaders have cautioned its members against smoking for health reasons. In a June 2017 statement, the LDS Church noted the “legitimate questions regarding the benefits and risks of legalizing a drug that has not gone through the well-established and rigorous process to prove its effectiveness and safety.”

“Accordingly,” the statement continued, “we believe that society is best served by requiring marijuana to go through further research and the FDA-approved process that all other drugs must go through before they are prescribed to patients.”

Utahns, however, are making the case that government is moving too slowly on medicinal cannabis, resulting in the ballot initiative to advance the issue. In all, 66 percent of “very active” Mormons polled said they support the ballot measure, while 30 percent said they’re opposed.

Overall, 21 percent of Utahns said they oppose legalization of medicinal cannabis, with 3 percent undecided.

The poll of 609 adults Feb. 9-16 has a 4 percent margin or error.

 

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Politics + Government

Rep Phil Lyman shown, lyman dei comments came under scrutiny...

Emma Keddington

Rep. Phil Lyman defends post correlating DEI policies with Baltimore bridge collapse

Rep. Phil Lyman is defending a post made Tuesday, that said Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies had something to do with the Baltimore bridge collapse. 

17 hours ago

Former senator Joseph Lieberman...

Jake Tapper, CNN

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman dies at 82

Former Democratic vice presidential nominee and Sen. Joe Lieberman has died, according to a statement from his family.

1 day ago

rep phil lyman shown, he made comments about the bridge collapse in maryland...

Heather Peterson

LISTEN: Utah Rep. Phil Lyman blames Baltimore bridge collapse on DEI

Rep. Phil Lyman said the bridge collapse is because of "governors who prioritize diversity over the wellbeing and security of citizens."

2 days ago

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 4: A view of the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday morning January 4, 2024 in...

MARK SHERMAN

Supreme Court again confronts the issue of abortion, this time over access to widely used pill

Two years after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and cleared the way for bans or severe restrictions on abortion in many Republican-led states, abortion opponents on Tuesday will ask the high court to ratify a ruling from a conservative federal appeals court that would limit access to the medication mifepristone, which was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the United States last year.

3 days ago

File - The Instagram logo is seen on a cell phone in Boston, USA, Oct. 14, 2022. Instagram has star...

Associated Press

New Instagram feature limits display of political content

Instagram has started an automatic clamp down on the amount of political content appearing in its users' feeds.

4 days ago

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene...

Manu Raju, Melanie Zanona, Annie Grayer and Kristin Wilson, CNN

Marjorie Taylor Greene files surprise motion to oust Speaker Johnson, a sign of growing revolt from the right

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia filed a motion, seeking to oust Speaker Mike Johnson from his position.

4 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Poll shows strong support for medicinal cannabis in Utah