New Poll Shows Most Utah Voters Support Marijuana Legalization, But Top GOP Lawmakers Reiterate Opposition To Reform

A majority of Utah voters back legalizing marijuana, another new polls
shows. But despite that support, the state’s top Republican lawmakers in
the House and Senate are reiterating their opposition.

The survey from The Deseret News and Hinckley Institute of Politics,
released on Sunday, is one of the latest to show that voters are ready for
a policy change, with 53 percent of respondents agreeing that the state
should enact adult-use cannabis legalization, including 30 percent who
“strongly” embrace reform.

It also shows that an overwhelming 77 percent of voters support the state’s
existing medical cannabis law.

In spite of the findings of the poll—which involved interviews with 805
registered Utah voters from May 16-21, with a +/-3.5 percentage point
margin of error—GOP leadership in the legislature remains obstinate.

Senate President Stuart Adams (R) told The Desert News that “Utah already
has a responsible, well-balanced and effective program that ensures
individuals with chronic pain or serious illnesses have access while
maintaining strong safeguards to prevent misuse.”

“States that have expanded legalization beyond medical use have seen
serious social consequences, including increased homelessness and criminal
activity,” he said. “I oppose further expansion because our focus should
remain on what truly benefits our state and the well-being of all Utahns.”

House Speaker Mike Schultz (R) echoed that point, saying the state’s
“current approach ensures Utahns have access to relief while maintaining
important safeguards for public health and safety.”

“I remain firmly opposed to legalizing recreational marijuana,” he said,
adding that it’s “encouraging to see that a strong majority of Utahns–77
percent–agree that our focus should remain on providing benefit to those
who need it most.”

The survey findings largely resemble a separate March poll from Noble
Predictive Insights, which was commissioned by the nonprofit Keep Utah
Medical, found that 52 percent of registered Utah voters would support a
ballot initiative to end cannabis prohibition.

Schultz, the House speaker, said in response to that survey he has a “huge
problem with turning Utah into a recreational state” and “it’s not going to
happen.”


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Meanwhile, last month Utah officials confirmed that the state reached a new
milestone with its medical marijuana program, with more than 100,000
patients now registered.

State lawmakers have taken steps to build upon the state’s medical
marijuana law in recent years.

Despite being known for its political conservatism, Utah’s legislature
separately passed legislation last year authorizing a pilot program for
hospitals to administer psilocybin and MDMA as an alternative treatment
option. The governor let that law take effect without his signature last
year.

Meanwhile, a federal judge in Utah recently ordered county law enforcement
return psilocybin mushrooms that police seized from a Provo City-based
religious group that uses the psychedelic fungi as sacrament.

Texas Governor Tells Lawmakers To Regulate Hemp THC Products Like Alcohol
After Vetoing Bill To Ban Most Consumable Cannabinoids

The post New Poll Shows Most Utah Voters Support Marijuana Legalization,
But Top GOP Lawmakers Reiterate Opposition To Reform appeared first on Marijuana
Moment.