Robert Celt
New Member
As the battle over legalizing medical marijuana is far from over in Utah.
Lawmakers, police agencies and advocates are working together right now on a bill that could pass the legislature next year.
In the meantime, Utah families are packing up and finding refuge in other states.
Not far from the Utah border along Interstate 70 sits the small town of Fruita, Colorado.
It's the place Michael and Enedina Stanger are now calling home.
The place they are starting over with new friends, a new ward and hopefully a new career, that's still in the works.
"We came here and luckily got into the house and started to get established before I, you know, ran out of income," said Michael.
Their journey out of Utah began when Enedina started suffering from the affects of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare collagen disorder that causes her joints to regularly pop out of place.
"Everybody has their limitations. My limitation is snapping in every bone in my body every time I try to move," said Enedina.
Prescription drugs only complicated that limitation.
"One of the worst days of my life was when she had a drug-induced seizure on the way home from the hospital, because of the drugs they gave her," said Michael.
So, Enedina turned to medical marijuana.
"It doesn't cure the condition. And that's the thing, I mean, only God can cure all diseases, right? But for me, it actually mitigates the symptoms enough that I can live a normal life," said Enedina.
In Utah it's illegal and the consequences lead to a horrifying reality.
"My daughters, they have nightmares all the time and their biggest nightmare is getting taken away by the man that comes, that came already and threatened to take them away," said Enedina.
DCFS started to get involved after Enedina was charged with felony child endangerment.
She says she was smoking medical marijuana in the car while Michael and the girls were inside a store.
She ended up pleading guilty to possession of marijuana in a drug free zone, a Class A misdemeanor.
She was sentenced to six months probation and ordered to take a parenting class.
"I really hope that this never has to happen again," that's how she responded after getting booked into jail in December, 2015.
Acting on that wish and wanting to make sure the family could never get torn apart they decided to make the move to Colorado.
State Representative, Gage Froerer says the Stangers are a perfect example of why Utah needs to act.
"The state has no business getting in the way of patients and doctors decisions on what is right for the patient," said Froerer, (R) Huntsville.
A few years ago Froerer sponsored HB 105, also known as Charlee's Law. It legalized the use of cannabis oil for children with epilepsy.
He says now it's time to expand on that.
"If you look at the research coming out of major universities like Harvard, that there's no question that medical marijuana has a place to help a significant number of people," said Froerer.
This year two bills went head to head with the same result, both failed.
Senator, Mark Madsen's SB 73 attempted to legalize the whole plant or THC for certain chronic conditions.
Senator, Evan Vicker's SB 89 would have expanded the legal use of cannabis oil to more Utahns.
Froerer wants to pick up the banner with one bill that combines elements of both, and that's the sticking point.
There is strong opposition to legalizing THC.
"Right now the attorney general has been asked to overlook prosecuting marijuana cases. Is that going to change? I don't know. But, as long as it's not legal on the federal level, I'm not willing to mess with it on the state level," said State Representative, Paul Ray, (R) Clearfield.
Ray sat on the house committee that held hearings on the two bills.
He voted no on both, but believes there is a way to get something done with SB 89 as the foundation.
"It would have to be an oil or pill type form, it certainly wouldn't be growing and smoking marijuana. And we'd have to be able to tie down the processing and those kinds of things to make them safer, make sure there is quality control involved with it," said Ray.
Ray and Froerer agree the future should not include recreational use in Utah.
They are part of a task force working to find common ground for a bill to introduce next year.
As that group hammers out the path forward, the Stangers are praying that path leads home.
"I miss Utah everyday. My kids cry everyday missing their grandparents, and my husband, I know it would be a lot easier back at home. We miss it. Every single day we would've rather been there," said Enedina.
One group is moving forward with an option that would take it out of the hands of the Utah Legislature all together.
They are finalizing language right now for a ballot initiative.
It is not public yet, but ABC4 Utah is told it will be similar to SB 73 before it was amended, so it would include access to the full plant.
If successful, it would allow voters to make the ultimate decision in the General Election of November, 2018.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: UT: Some MMJ Patients Say They Can't Wait Any Longer For The State To Act
Author: Glen Mills
Contact: Good4Utah
Photo Credit: Glen Stubbe
Website: Good4Utah
Lawmakers, police agencies and advocates are working together right now on a bill that could pass the legislature next year.
In the meantime, Utah families are packing up and finding refuge in other states.
Not far from the Utah border along Interstate 70 sits the small town of Fruita, Colorado.
It's the place Michael and Enedina Stanger are now calling home.
The place they are starting over with new friends, a new ward and hopefully a new career, that's still in the works.
"We came here and luckily got into the house and started to get established before I, you know, ran out of income," said Michael.
Their journey out of Utah began when Enedina started suffering from the affects of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a rare collagen disorder that causes her joints to regularly pop out of place.
"Everybody has their limitations. My limitation is snapping in every bone in my body every time I try to move," said Enedina.
Prescription drugs only complicated that limitation.
"One of the worst days of my life was when she had a drug-induced seizure on the way home from the hospital, because of the drugs they gave her," said Michael.
So, Enedina turned to medical marijuana.
"It doesn't cure the condition. And that's the thing, I mean, only God can cure all diseases, right? But for me, it actually mitigates the symptoms enough that I can live a normal life," said Enedina.
In Utah it's illegal and the consequences lead to a horrifying reality.
"My daughters, they have nightmares all the time and their biggest nightmare is getting taken away by the man that comes, that came already and threatened to take them away," said Enedina.
DCFS started to get involved after Enedina was charged with felony child endangerment.
She says she was smoking medical marijuana in the car while Michael and the girls were inside a store.
She ended up pleading guilty to possession of marijuana in a drug free zone, a Class A misdemeanor.
She was sentenced to six months probation and ordered to take a parenting class.
"I really hope that this never has to happen again," that's how she responded after getting booked into jail in December, 2015.
Acting on that wish and wanting to make sure the family could never get torn apart they decided to make the move to Colorado.
State Representative, Gage Froerer says the Stangers are a perfect example of why Utah needs to act.
"The state has no business getting in the way of patients and doctors decisions on what is right for the patient," said Froerer, (R) Huntsville.
A few years ago Froerer sponsored HB 105, also known as Charlee's Law. It legalized the use of cannabis oil for children with epilepsy.
He says now it's time to expand on that.
"If you look at the research coming out of major universities like Harvard, that there's no question that medical marijuana has a place to help a significant number of people," said Froerer.
This year two bills went head to head with the same result, both failed.
Senator, Mark Madsen's SB 73 attempted to legalize the whole plant or THC for certain chronic conditions.
Senator, Evan Vicker's SB 89 would have expanded the legal use of cannabis oil to more Utahns.
Froerer wants to pick up the banner with one bill that combines elements of both, and that's the sticking point.
There is strong opposition to legalizing THC.
"Right now the attorney general has been asked to overlook prosecuting marijuana cases. Is that going to change? I don't know. But, as long as it's not legal on the federal level, I'm not willing to mess with it on the state level," said State Representative, Paul Ray, (R) Clearfield.
Ray sat on the house committee that held hearings on the two bills.
He voted no on both, but believes there is a way to get something done with SB 89 as the foundation.
"It would have to be an oil or pill type form, it certainly wouldn't be growing and smoking marijuana. And we'd have to be able to tie down the processing and those kinds of things to make them safer, make sure there is quality control involved with it," said Ray.
Ray and Froerer agree the future should not include recreational use in Utah.
They are part of a task force working to find common ground for a bill to introduce next year.
As that group hammers out the path forward, the Stangers are praying that path leads home.
"I miss Utah everyday. My kids cry everyday missing their grandparents, and my husband, I know it would be a lot easier back at home. We miss it. Every single day we would've rather been there," said Enedina.
One group is moving forward with an option that would take it out of the hands of the Utah Legislature all together.
They are finalizing language right now for a ballot initiative.
It is not public yet, but ABC4 Utah is told it will be similar to SB 73 before it was amended, so it would include access to the full plant.
If successful, it would allow voters to make the ultimate decision in the General Election of November, 2018.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: UT: Some MMJ Patients Say They Can't Wait Any Longer For The State To Act
Author: Glen Mills
Contact: Good4Utah
Photo Credit: Glen Stubbe
Website: Good4Utah
