Now that the leaders of the LDS Church have given their “opinion” about medical marijuana, they have effectively given their Mormon representatives in the Legislature their marching orders. They claim they need more research. Other countries and states already have that information available, but they won’t consider that.
This doesn’t really matter, though. The residents of Utah are for medical marijuana by a majority, which includes many Mormons.
So, there have been many signature-gathering activities around the state for legalization. This means that the citizens will have a referendum on the ballot. It will pass.
This leaves the LDS Church and its representatives a good solid out for the measure. When it passes, the church can claim it was against legalization and wash its hands of the issue.
Is there any other prescribed drug in the country that is legally issued in one place and illegal in others?
This is just like the anti-gay marriages where the license was legal in some places but not others. The federal government made that “equal” in all states. The biggest obstacle to sane laws in Utah is religious beliefs, not science.
Bill Revene, West Valley City