Utah residents hoping to access medical cannabis must complete a rigorous application process that includes a recommendation by a qualified medical provider certified by the state. The law is very clear about how much cannabis a person can possess, how much can be purchased during a single dispensary visit, and even the conditions it can be used to treat.
Up in New York, their medical cannabis program is also functional. But it has been made all but meaningless by new legislation that makes recreational use legal. It is an interesting dichotomy. When a state goes full recreational, what is the point in maintaining a medical program?
In fairness, New York state lawmakers have maintained the medical program while they take time to craft rules for recreational use. But really, it doesn’t much matter. If anyone over the age of twenty-one can now legally possess cannabis, and dispensaries previously limited to medical sales can also provide recreational sales, the medical program is all but wiped out.
The Future of Medical Cannabis
When states do things like New York has just done, it puts the future of medical cannabis in doubt. Let’s review parts of the New York law to drive home the point, beginning with the fact that it is both legal and illegal to sell marijuana in the Empire State.
Their new law says it is okay for individuals to possess, transport, and purchase up to three ounces of cannabis at any one time. You still cannot sell it unless you run a licensed pharmacy. But there really is no point maintaining the medical illusion if pharmacies can sell recreational marijuana to anyone twenty-one or older.
Another provision of the new law gives qualified medical providers the ability to utilize their discretion when recommending medical cannabis. In other words, they are no longer limited to a small list of qualifying conditions. That being the case, there really are no limits. A doctor can recommend medical cannabis for everything from hang nails to pinkeye.
But wait. Why spend an hour in the doctor’s office and fork up the money for your co-pay when you can use marijuana recreationally? New York’s law gives you the freedom to self-medicate. If you do not need a doctor’s recommendation, you are not likely to go through the hassle of getting one. See the dichotomy?
Keeping It Strictly Medical
Perhaps New York will find a way to reconcile the mess they just created. Maybe they will eventually figure out that straddling the fence doesn’t work. In the meantime, there are states determined to keep cannabis strictly medical. Utah is one such state.
Utah’s medical cannabis laws are considered some of the strictest in the nation. Deseret Wellness, a licensed dispensary with locations in Provo and Park City, agrees. They say anyone involved in the medical cannabis business must jump through hoops to maintain compliance with Utah law. Meanwhile, state lawmakers do not seem to be in any rush to even consider recreational use.
Lawmakers are working on improving the state program for the purposes of increasing access and bringing prices down. But in its current form, state government is committed to maintaining cannabis as a medicine only. We will see how long they hold out.
Comparing Utah with New York makes it clear that medical cannabis becomes meaningless once a state goes recreational. If you live in New York, it is only a matter of time before the state’s medical system is completely worthless. There’s too much administration involved in a program that no one has to use anyway. As cynical as that sounds, it is reality.
