There are many places around the world, including some right here in the U.S., in which people need to break the law to get their hands on medical cannabis. Fortunately, that is not the case here in Utah. Thanks to 2018’s Proposition 2 and lawmakers willing to make the proposition a reality, state residents have clear and easy access to medical cannabis.
We should not take that access for granted. Utah’s medical cannabis program isn’t perfect. There is plenty of room for improvement. Yet eligible and needy patients in other states and countries are not so fortunate. We should appreciate our program, even with all its flaws.
Breaking the Law in the UK
Full disclosure dictates acknowledging that this post was prompted by a story published by the BBC. The story details the efforts of a British mom forced to illegally purchase medical cannabis online for her 10-near-old daughter who suffers from a rare type of epilepsy.
At one point, the child had been admitted to the hospital twenty-two times in as many months. Mom told the BBC the doctors warned her of the real possibility of her daughter’s death following an epilepsy seizure. The problem is that her daughter hasn’t responded to conventional treatments. So this mom feels like medical cannabis is her only option for keeping her daughter alive.
Whether it is epilepsy, chronic pain, PTSD, or some other qualifying condition, there are people with real needs who have no choice but to purchase medical cannabis illegally. But here in Utah, this is not the case.
The Basics of Utah’s Program
Veteran medical cannabis users are very familiar with how Utah’s program works. But if you’re new to medical cannabis, here’s what you need to know:
- Adult Users – Medical cannabis can be purchased, possessed, and consumed by all eligible adult users with a valid medical cannabis card.
- Minors – Minors are prohibited from using medical cannabis unless first receiving approval from the state Compassionate Use Board. Approved minors still cannot purchase medical cannabis. It must be purchased for them by an eligible caregiver.
- Medical Cannabis Cards – Medical cannabis cards are furnished by the state upon approval of a patient’s application. Patients are required to visit a medical provider as part of the application process.
- Purchasing Medical Cannabis – Medical cannabis can only be legally purchased in Utah from a licensed medical cannabis pharmacy. Also known as dispensaries, pharmacies are regulated by state law to guarantee patient safety and product quality.
Beehive Farmacy operates two medical cannabis pharmacies in Utah. We have one location in Salt Lake City and the other in Brigham City. Anyone with a valid medical cannabis card is free to visit our two locations to make purchases in accordance with medical provider guidelines.
Two Types of Medical Providers
You should also know that there are two kinds of medical providers capable of recommending medical cannabis under the Utah statute. The first is the qualified medical provider (QMP). This is any doctor, advanced practice nurse, or podiatrist with prescribing authority in the state, who has undergone continuing education and been certified.
The limited medical provider (LMP) is a medical provider with prescribing authority who hasn’t been certified or undergone continuing education. LMPs can only recommend cannabis to up to 15 patients at a time. QMPs can recommend cannabis to more than 1,000.
There is certainly more to know about Utah’s medical cannabis program. Most importantly, the program gives Utah residents safe and legal access to medical cannabis. No state resident needs to break the law to get much-needed cannabis medicines.
