Robert Celt
New Member
Medical marijuana was once again a hot topic at Saturday morning's Cache County legislative constituent meeting following the passing of two medical marijuana bills through committee Thursday, but the county's water rights discussion was also a focus of the representatives.
Cache County Legislature representatives Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, Rep. Jack Draxler, R-North Logan, Rep. Ed Redd, R-Logan, Rep. Curt Webb, R-Providence and Sen. Peter Knudson, R-Brigham City, each were on hand to answer constituent questions and concerns, with the marijuana bills discussed in their opening remarks.
"Getting the bills through committee was the easy part," Hillyard said. "The real debate will be on the floor, and I think that's where you'll see the real discussions take shape."
The Medical Cannabis Act (Senate Bill 73), sponsored by Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Saratoga Springs, was given a favorable recommendation from the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee on a 4-1-2 vote, while Senate Bill 89, which would approve the use of non-psychoactive component cannabidiol for medical use, passed unanimously through the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Both bills were placed on the Senate's second reading calendar following their approvals Thursday and will next be discussed on the Senate floor.
Hillyard, who was absent for the committee's vote on the Medical Cannabis Act due to his obligations as chairman of the Executive Appropriations Committee, reaffirmed his intention to vote against both bills when they come up for discussion on the Senate floor.
"There were lots of passionate discussions from the people who use it that we heard in the committee, but if you want to legalize it, where do you go with it?" Hillyard said. "I trust that any benefits seen through components of marijuana are coming through fast enough the pharmaceutical way."
Redd also confirmed his opposition to each bill, noting his experience as a physician allowed him to see the medical benefits while also noting the risks legalization of the entire plant could carry with it and fearing a de facto recreational legalization could come as a result.
Redd suggested marijuana possession could be taken on a case-by-case basis by district attorneys, who could decide against prosecution if a defendant has a registered medical need and is not intending to distribute.
"Senator Madsen's bill could be one small step on a 100-mile journey to recreational use," Redd said. "If you are okay with the possibility of creating long term addictions, seeing IQ drops of eight points and watching the development of mental illness, then stand up and say it. But I am not personally OK with it."
Webb refocused the discussion toward what he called a more pressing issue regarding the state's water usage. Webb attended a rural caucus meeting last week with the central theme being water rights, featuring a number of presentations about where water should be taken for counties in need.
"Utah is a dry state, so you can imagine the concern people have about a future plan," Webb said. "The public is starting to get involved and vocalize about where our priorities should be."
Webb vocalized support for Cache County's plans to create a water conservancy district, noting many of the presentations he heard at the caucus came from other water conservancy districts within the state targeting Cache's allocation of the Bear River.
"If we don't have a water conservancy district to have a place at that table of discussion, then this is a big deal," Webb said. "This is our water, and we have to protect it. They'll try to get more of it, but unless we protect our own share we'll be in trouble. There's got to be an urgency to convey to our own population this importance."
The legislators will continue holding constituent meetings starting at 7:30 a.m. every Saturday through March 5 in the Cache County Administrative Building Multipurpose Room at 179 N. Main St. Cache County Executive Craig Buttars said Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox would also be present at the Feb. 13 meeting.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: UT: Legislators Reaffirm Stance On Medical Marijuana, Support Water Conservancy
Author: Clayton Gefre
Contact: HJnews
Photo Credit: Lindsey Bartlett
Website: HJnews
Cache County Legislature representatives Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, Rep. Jack Draxler, R-North Logan, Rep. Ed Redd, R-Logan, Rep. Curt Webb, R-Providence and Sen. Peter Knudson, R-Brigham City, each were on hand to answer constituent questions and concerns, with the marijuana bills discussed in their opening remarks.
"Getting the bills through committee was the easy part," Hillyard said. "The real debate will be on the floor, and I think that's where you'll see the real discussions take shape."
The Medical Cannabis Act (Senate Bill 73), sponsored by Sen. Mark Madsen, R-Saratoga Springs, was given a favorable recommendation from the Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee on a 4-1-2 vote, while Senate Bill 89, which would approve the use of non-psychoactive component cannabidiol for medical use, passed unanimously through the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Both bills were placed on the Senate's second reading calendar following their approvals Thursday and will next be discussed on the Senate floor.
Hillyard, who was absent for the committee's vote on the Medical Cannabis Act due to his obligations as chairman of the Executive Appropriations Committee, reaffirmed his intention to vote against both bills when they come up for discussion on the Senate floor.
"There were lots of passionate discussions from the people who use it that we heard in the committee, but if you want to legalize it, where do you go with it?" Hillyard said. "I trust that any benefits seen through components of marijuana are coming through fast enough the pharmaceutical way."
Redd also confirmed his opposition to each bill, noting his experience as a physician allowed him to see the medical benefits while also noting the risks legalization of the entire plant could carry with it and fearing a de facto recreational legalization could come as a result.
Redd suggested marijuana possession could be taken on a case-by-case basis by district attorneys, who could decide against prosecution if a defendant has a registered medical need and is not intending to distribute.
"Senator Madsen's bill could be one small step on a 100-mile journey to recreational use," Redd said. "If you are okay with the possibility of creating long term addictions, seeing IQ drops of eight points and watching the development of mental illness, then stand up and say it. But I am not personally OK with it."
Webb refocused the discussion toward what he called a more pressing issue regarding the state's water usage. Webb attended a rural caucus meeting last week with the central theme being water rights, featuring a number of presentations about where water should be taken for counties in need.
"Utah is a dry state, so you can imagine the concern people have about a future plan," Webb said. "The public is starting to get involved and vocalize about where our priorities should be."
Webb vocalized support for Cache County's plans to create a water conservancy district, noting many of the presentations he heard at the caucus came from other water conservancy districts within the state targeting Cache's allocation of the Bear River.
"If we don't have a water conservancy district to have a place at that table of discussion, then this is a big deal," Webb said. "This is our water, and we have to protect it. They'll try to get more of it, but unless we protect our own share we'll be in trouble. There's got to be an urgency to convey to our own population this importance."
The legislators will continue holding constituent meetings starting at 7:30 a.m. every Saturday through March 5 in the Cache County Administrative Building Multipurpose Room at 179 N. Main St. Cache County Executive Craig Buttars said Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox would also be present at the Feb. 13 meeting.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: UT: Legislators Reaffirm Stance On Medical Marijuana, Support Water Conservancy
Author: Clayton Gefre
Contact: HJnews
Photo Credit: Lindsey Bartlett
Website: HJnews
