Both recreational and medicinal marijuana are not legal in the state of Utah, but this could one day change.
It seems the state’s Department of Agriculture and Food may soon take a baby step. The Department is considering a new rule that would let some farmers in Utah grow limited varieties of cannabis for research purposes.
The rule was given initial approval this week by Utah’s Agricultural Advisory Board.
It will allow anyone that has a permit to grow industrial hemp which are cannabis plants that contain very little quanities of THC. THC is the psychoactive compound in marijuana that is associated with the “high” effect.
Melissa Ure, a policy analyst for the Utah Department of Agriculture stated that under the rule, in order to obtain a growing permit, producers would have to submit a research plan for state approval, though the scope of potential topics for research is broad.
According to Ure, farmers are interested in partnering with Utah State University to explore whether the fast-growing plant will grow well in Utah.
Right now the commercial sale of residual hemp products is still illegal in the state.
