The Utah Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved legislation Feb. 18 that would make several changes to the state’s medical cannabis program before its March 1 launch, according to a local KPCW report.
S.B.121, sponsored by Sen. Evan Vickers, contains several amendments to the Utah Medical Cannabis Act, which the legislature approved in December 2018 to make changes to the state’s voter-approved medical cannabis ballot initiative.
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A key piece of S.B.121 would expunge the criminal records of patients who were prosecuted in the past for cannabis possession and would also tackle testing for drivers under the influence of cannabis.
The legislation would also eliminate a requirement that cannabis flower must be sold in a blister pack and instead allow it to be sold in glass jars. In addition, the bill seeks to adjust or remove an existing cap on the number of cannabis patients that each doctor can have.
Also included in the bill is clarification that private employers are not required to allow their employees to use medical cannabis, which has sparked some debate among advocates.
Per state law, Utah’s medical cannabis program must be operational by March 1, KPCW reported.
