Governor signs bill clarifying medical marijuana law

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Governor Gary Herbert officially signed S.B. 121 Friday, clarifying the medical marijuana law. This is just days ahead of the state’s first medical cannabis dispensary to open next week.

The bill provides amendments that address dosage form requirements when using medical marijuana products, while allowing Utahns to bring in medical cannabis from outside the state in certain circumstances.

This brings the total number of signed pieces of legislation from the 2020 General Legislative Session so far to 12.

“This bill makes needed adjustments and clarifications to Utah’s medical cannabis law,” Gov. Herbert said in a statement. “These changes will help us ensure that Utah patients have the best possible access to cannabis products as our new program rolls out on Monday, March 2.”

Ahead of the opening of the dispensaries in 2020, the law allows the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to grant partial-year licenses for certain establishments to act as a cannabis processing facility if deemed necessary. With that, it also allows the UDAF to revoke these licenses.

The law will allow certain cultivation facilities to operate between two locations, giving facilities the right to hold educational events — if it adheres to UDAF rules.

Notably, the law clarifies rules on dosage, including what is considered “legal dosage limits,” according to S.B. 121.

The law also protects employees working for state-owned businesses from being punished for using medical marijuana. However, it does not require private business owners to accommodate to employees who use medical cannabis.