The state of Utah may not rank high on the list of states likely to legalize cannabis anytime in the near future, but state legislators have at least been talking about it. Currently, medical marijuana is legal only to treat cases of severe epilepsy.

Republican Party leaders in the solidly red state said last Friday that the legislature will not move forward this session with legislation to set rules and eligibility requirements for medical marijuana use. The legislators did say they would proceed with bills that allow for research and that would create a structure for the eventual production and distribution of medical marijuana.

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The irony, of course, is that under federal law marijuana remains a Schedule I drug and, therefore, medical studies of cannabis are nearly impossible to undertake. A group of marijuana proponents called "Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education" (TRUST) has been formed to push an initiative for the 2018 ballot. TRUST founder Christine Stenquist said:

The Legislature only wants to do a regulatory framework and taxpayer-funded research that is unnecessary and duplicative. This path forward continues the victimization of patients in Utah.

The state legislature would be on the hook for providing funding for additional research, and one legislator said that would be a "tough sell in this tight budget year."

Marijuana Survey Finds Medical Users More Likely to Consume Edibles and Vaporize
People who use marijuana for medical purposes are much more likely to vaporize or consume edible forms of the drug than recreational users, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

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The study, which surveyed people from four western states that have legalized medical marijuana, also found that those who use marijuana for medicinal purposes are more likely to report daily or near-daily use and consume more as measured by grams per day.

In addition, those who only use marijuana for medicinal purposes do not report use of marijuana concurrently with alcohol, while those who report using recreationally consume marijuana with alcohol on nearly one in five occasions.

Findings regarding the simultaneous use of alcohol and marijuana is important because past research shows such activity is more likely to result in health harm, including accidents.

The study, found that 41% of people reported having used marijuana recreationally at least once in their lifetime, while only about 7% of those surveyed reported using marijuana for medical purposes.