With the 2023 legislative session now over, it’s time to take a look back and see how the work done by state lawmakers affects the medical cannabis industry and the patients they serve. One of the more positive changes implemented this year is the extension of the medical cannabis card renewal from six months to one year. But there are other rule changes to consider.
Three rules may directly affect your future cannabis experience. We will explain them here, at least briefly. It is up to you to decide whether they are positive changes. As always, Beehive Farmacy will continue to serve you in Salt Lake City and Brigham City.
Change #1: Terpene Information on Labels
In the near future, products sold at medical cannabis pharmacies in Utah will include terpene information on the labels. Pharmacies will have to disclose terpene profiles for unprocessed flower, vape cartridges, gummies, tinctures, etc.
This is probably a good idea in the grand scheme of things. Nationwide, a lack of labeling standards is believed to be a negative thing. Most people agree that patients should know exactly what they are getting when they purchase their medicines. This includes terpenes.
It should be noted that cultivators and processors are constantly developing new terpene profiles they believe will benefit customers. Moreover, there is some anecdotal evidence suggesting that terpene profiles can make a difference. If that’s the case, it’s only fair that terpenes be listed on labels.
Change #2: Health Warnings on Labels
The second change is one that some in the industry will probably take issue with. It requires processors and manufacturers to include health warnings on product labels. Those health warnings have to do with mental illness risks as well as risks associated with smoking and vaping.
For the record, including a warning about smoking does not imply that the practice is legal in Utah. It’s not. State law still bans smoking unprocessed plant material – even for medical purposes. You can dry heat it in a specialized vaporizer available at Beehive Farmacy dispensaries.
Change #3: Greater Authority to Ban Substances
This final change is one the industry has been expecting for quite some time. It is a rule that gives the UDAF authority to ban certain ingredients they believe could be harmful to medical cannabis patients. The rule was specifically enacted to give regulators a way to deal with synthetic cannabinoids, like Delta-8.
For those who might not be aware, Delta-8 is one of the most popular alternative cannabinoids on the market right now. It occurs naturally in cannabis plants as an isomer of Delta-9 THC, the THC that produces feelings of euphoria. It is an isomer in that its molecular makeup is identical to Delta-9, but the arrangement of those molecules is different.
It is considered a synthetic cannabinoid because processors synthesize it from CBD rather than trying to extract it naturally. Cannabis plants don’t normally produce enough Delta-8 to make extraction worthwhile, so it’s easier and more cost-effective to synthesize it instead.
Things Are Getting Better in Utah
Every legislative session introduces at least some changes to Utah’s medical cannabis program. Some of the changes are positive while others, not so much. But overall, things are getting better in the Beehive State.
The three changes discussed in this post could have an impact on your future cannabis experience. We hope that any impact is positive. If we can help you along your journey, please let us know. Just pay us a visit at either of our Brigham City or Salt Lake City Beehive Farmacy locations.
