This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Washington • Gov. Gary Herbert said Friday that legalizing medicinal marijuana in Utah would be a slippery slope into recreational use and he opposes new legislation that would allow such a program.
Sen. Mark Madsen is preparing a bill that would allow medicinal-marijuana dispensaries, licensed and regulated by the state, that could sell lozenges, oils and edible products that contain the active ingredient in marijuana as long as there was a medical need. Smoking marijuana would still be illegal.
Herbert, in Washington for a National Governors Association meeting, said he saw the proliferation of pot smoking in California when that state allowed medical marijuana use and he doesn't want Utah to go the same direction.
"I mean, it's a sham," Herbert said. "It's not just being used for medical uses, it's being used for recreational purposes."
Herbert did say that he supported a state law passed last year that allowed cannabis extracts for certain medical needs and that was sufficient for what Utah needs.