Utah group starts medical marijuana ballot initiative push

Medical marijuana advocates in Utah are planning to try to get an initiative on the November 2018 ballot that would allow the drug to be used for treatment.

Advocates say they’re done waiting for state lawmakers, who have rejected passing a broad medical pot law during the last three consecutive sessions.

Medical marijuana advocate Christine Stenquist says the legislature’s decisions over the last few years have made it clear that lawmakers don’t have any desire to move forward with legalizing the drug, so they are going to do it themselves.

A ballot initiative requires thousands of signatures, a legal review and seven town hall meetings around the state.

Utah already allows a marijuana extract, called cannabidiol, to be used by those with severe epilepsy, as long as they obtain it from other states.