Governor Gary Herbert of Utah is being very vocal about how against medical marijuana he is.

The governor has announced that he will actively oppose the medical marijuana ballot initiative that the state is expected to give Utah’s voters this coming November.

Herbert stated, “I fully support the science-supported use of substances that, under medical supervision, can improve lives. Consequently, I support efforts to allow medical researchers to better understand the medical properties of cannabis. That, in turn, will allow physicians and pharmacists to prescribe and dispense cannabis as a controlled substance in accordance to the highest standards of medical science.”

According to Herbert, the initiative has “significant flaws.”

He explained, “It lacks important safeguards regarding its production and utilization and would potentially open the door to recreational use. We need to be cautious as we test and introduce cannabis into our formulary. I believe the consequences of this initiative, even if they are unintended, will do more harm than good.”

The Utah Patients Coalition’s director DJ Schanz responded, “While we appreciate the Governor weighing in on medical cannabis, his comments are another example of what Utahns have grown tired of: politicians standing between patients and their physicians.”

“Saying the most conservatively drafted initiative in the entire country would ‘potentially’ open the door for recreational use is a scare tactic that has no basis in truth. Neither the Legislature nor the Governor should undermine the clear will of voters as demonstrated in over a dozen public polls. Utahns are ready to vote on this and set aside the misguided positions of elected officials who are apparently comfortable with criminalizing sick and suffering Utahns.”

The Governor told Fox 13 earlier this week, “I do believe that people support marijuana use for medicinal purposes. I’d support it, too. I just want to have science behind it making sure we understand it does do something good. Not just an anecdotal.”


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