Public opinion – as more facts have shone light into the dark corners created by 80 years of unwarranted fear-mongering by a panoply of special interests, each with their own self-serving motives – has steadily grown to more than 3/4 state-wide support and majorities of all ages, party, religious affiliations, plus independents and non-religious.
The state legislature has sadly not kept up, failing to take any meaningful action, while the governor is an “active opponent.”
Further, other interest group opponents have remained stuck in the same mud.
This includes the leadership of the state’s once most prestigious medical body, the Utah Medical Association, who – by promulgating undocumented complete fictions – including dishonest and demeaning attacks on supporters – while implying falsely, like “pretend reformer,” Rep. Daw, that the initiative is “almost recreational” – have badly damaged their reputation.
Elements of LDS church leadership have chosen to welcome UMA’s “statement,” though we hope that after multiple recent news exposes of #UMA’s utter fecklessness, church elders will be moved to seek readily available input from objective and actual experts, and adopt a neutral position. MC is a scientific and social policy matter, and in no way a religious issue.
Happily, though, much of Utah’s press and media have taken the matter seriously and have built up enough growing expertise not to simply buy into opponent arguments when they’re clearly empty and factually lacking. We’ve been most pleased and buoyed by recent in-depth stories in the Trib, Standard and now the Herald Extra.
Hold together, Utahns and we got this…!!
Excerpts…
“..we question why the LDS Church is opting to intervene in the debate at this time. As an organization that spans the country and the world, there have been countless opportunities to weigh in as any of 29 other states legalized medical marijuana. As of 2010, the church reportedly had no position on the matter.
It’s also interesting that the church is intervening in marijuana and not other medical issues. For example, the US has a massive problem with painkiller abuse. However, there’s no use of the word ‘opioid’ on MormonNewsroom.org.
Considering the initiative, many opponents share a similar argument — that there needs to be more research.
It’s disingenuous to imply that there’s a lack of research. Other states have had some version of medical cannabis going back to 1996, so there have been more than two decades of practical evidence and opportunities to study the matter….
Saying there’s a dearth of research is like if a caveman saw another caveman with a wheel and wished there was more data on round objects and their ability to move stuff.”
#UtahNext #TRUCE
See full article – Herald editorial: Gov. Herbert, LDS Church create smoke on medical cannabis
