Utah GOP Senator Defends Modified Cannabis Bill for Creating 'More Guardrails'
*By Chloe Aiello*
Medical marijuana is now legal in Utah, but not exactly in the form voters intended. Shortly after the medical marijuana initiative, Proposition 2, was scheduled to go into effect, the Utah state House and Senate swooped in and replaced it with a new law.
Wayne Niederhauser, a Republican senator for Utah's 9th district, defended the move on Wednesday, and told Cheddar the new law, "The Utah Medical Cannabis Act," ensures "medical marijuana and not de-facto recreational" is the law of the Beehive State.
"We wanted to create some more guardrails. We want to get medical marijuana to everyone that needs it, but we also have 600,000 plus children in this state, and we want to make sure those children are protected as much as possible from getting a controlled substance," Niederhauser said.
"The Utah Medical Cannabis Act" that Gov. Gary Herbert signed into law on Monday differs in some significant ways from Proposition 2. The bill reduces the permitted number of privately-run dispensaries for the state, Niederhauser said ー supplementing them instead with state-run distribution through health departments. Cannabis "flower" is still allowed, but only in one-gram increments, and edibles are mostly illegal, except for gummy cubes, according to the [Salt Lake Tribune](https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/12/03/utah-house-passes-medical/). It also tweaks the list of conditions that qualify for treatment.
Niederhauser said, "there's really not a lot of difference," between Prop 2 and the new bill, but cannabis advocacy group Marijuana Policy Project disagreed.
“This bill is undoubtedly inferior to the law enacted by voters in November. However, Proposition 2 would very likely have been defeated without the compromise deal, which prevented an onslaught of opposition spending. Advocates made the responsible decision to negotiate with opponents and ensure that patients were not left without any access to medical cannabis," MPP's Matthew Schweich [said in a statement](https://www.mpp.org/news/press/utah-legislature-passes-compromise-medical-marijuana-law/) after the new bill passed.
"The Utah Medical Cannabis Act" was a collaboration between lawmakers and medical marijuana proponents that "came to fruition" about 45 days before the midterms, Niederhauser said, adding that whether or not Prop 2 passed, the medical law would have been enacted. The new program is expected to be running by 2020.
As to whether the new law will lead to recreational legalization, Niederhauser said he hopes not.
"As far as I'm concerned, I hope we never even get close to recreational use," he said.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/recreational-marijuana-shouldnt-be-legal-in-utah-according-to-state-senate-president).
The drama surrounding tennis star Novak Djokovic continues after he was deported from Australia over the weekend due to the nation's COVID-19 vaccine requirements. Djokovic was forced to leave the country on the eve of what was to be his first match in defense of his Australian Open title after three judges ruled in favor of his removal and revealed their reasoning for doing so. Adding to his woes, a law recently passed in France is putting his chances of defending his French Open title in jeopardy. The director of Marist's Center for Sports Communication, Jane McManus, joined Cheddar to discuss the ongoing fallout.
Alex Silverman, senior reporter covering the business of sports at Morning Consult, joins Cheddar News to discuss why the number of those betting on sports doubled in 2021 and what's next for the industry in 2022.
Alec Baldwin is facing a lawsuit from the family of a fallen marine, Rylee McCollum, for defamation of Rylee's sister Roice. The lawsuit claims Baldwin, who had donated to a fund for the family of Rylee, called Roice an insurrectionist for being present during the January 6 Capitol riots.
Sports Illustrated Swimsuit is marking the 58th anniversary of its first print issue with the announcement of a new advertising mandate called Pay With Change. The magazine's annual print will now only feature brands who are helping drive gender equality forward, creating a sweeping call to action for the publishing industry. MJ Day, editor-in-chief of SI Swimsuit, joined Cheddar to discuss the goals of the new initiative.
Cost of living in the U.S. is getting higher and higher, as inflation pushes up the prices of everything from food to gas. According to a recent Ipsos poll, more than two thirds of people around the world are feeling the squeeze, and low income households are feeling it the most. Garrett Boorojian, Managing Partner at WaveCapital Partners, breaks down some of the factors driving cost of living and how to adjust your budget accordingly.
Sonia Thompson, inclusive marketing strategist and consultant, breaks down the need to retool the hiring process and how organizations can make for a better workplace environment.
Each year plenty of people decide to kick off their new year's resolutions by participating in what is known as "Dry January." Basically one month without alcohol. The practice has gained popularity as a way for social drinkers to take a break from booze for a bit. However, some people are making the decision to take it beyond January. CMO at Heineken USA Jonnie Cahill, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Vrai CEO discusses the process of creating lab grown diamonds, Entrupy CEO breaks down how the app uses artificial intelligence to analyze authenticity for luxury goods and sneakers; A look at Curiosity Stream's 'Red Elvis.'
