SALT LAKE CITY – A group of physicians and experts are advising lawmakers to take their time before passing marijuana legalization laws in Utah during the 2017 legislative session.
The group has stated that the belief that marijuana is medicinal is “deceptive.”
Dr. William Hamilton of Intermountain Medical Center said that, “The marijuana plant is not medical marijuana for the following reasons: It has not been run through a drug or medicine approval process and approved by a recognized organization like the FDA, Federal Drug Administration, for either prescription or over the counter drugs,”
According to the group, more research should be done so that the plant can be approved for any medical use.
“It has not been scientifically proven to be efficacious in treating a particular diagnosis or illness,” Hamilton said. “It is still in the testing/research phase for most diagnoses.”
As it stands, law makers are working on several bills that might legalize marijuana for medical use in some form.
The legislative session will be held next week.
According to Hamilton, there is a valid scientific process to prove what can be categorized as medicine and so neither the public nor the legislature should make this decision.
Last year, two bills (which eventually failed), were introduced in the Utah Senate proposing access to marijuana for patients who need it.
Talking to Fox 13, advocates for medical marijuana have threatened to pursue a ballot initiative to take the issue directly to Utah voters because they feel that lawmakers will not do enough in 2017.
On the other hand doctors like Mark Bair and Hamilton have warned against ignoring more science and research. They belong in the Utah Medical Association.
“Cannabis is not a cure,” Bair said. “Understand that cannabis in any form and any claim, at best, has been talked about as helping with symptoms.”
