Utah Medical Association accuses medical marijuana campaign of misleading voters into supporting initiative

“Disguising their true aim….”

Given the unprofessionalism, dishonesty and libelous nature of their remarks about medicinal cannabis and its supporters, It’s hard to believe the UMA can still describe themselves (on their website) as the “the state’s foremost advocacy arm for the [medical] profession, protecting and enhancing the environment in which medicine is practiced in Utah.”

Consider…

“The Utah Medical Association is accusing leaders of a petition to legalize medical marijuana of misleading voters into supporting the measure and urged residents who signed on to call their county clerks and have their names removed….

‘Supporters have used images and stories of suffering patients to disguise their true aim,’ they said, ‘opening another market for their products and paving the way for recreational use of cannabis in Utah.’

Neither TRUCE nor the Utah Patients Coalition (UPC) nor any other recognized cannabis advocacy group we know of has any financial interest in cannabis products, and none have called for legalizing personal (recreational) use.

TRUCE in fact has written and spoken many times about how polling shows Utahns are not in favor of personal use legalization and our entire focus is on medicinal only. The same is true of UPC. Saying otherwise calls for a three letter word that begins with the letter “L”… and they seldom if ever provide any documentation of the outlandish claims they make.

The fact is UMA – totally unprofessionally – is not interested in a real or fair debate on medicinal cannabis, and knowing the facts are not on their side have decided to damage their own reputation by engaging in nothing but smear tactics, fear-mongering and attacks on the character of advocates and patients.

And frankly we’re tired of it. Respect has to be earned and we can’t see why anyone should respect anything that the UMA has to say about medicinal cannabis at this point, since they’re acting more like an ethics free political lobbying group than a medical organization. Which is, oh wait, what they are…

…that is they’re not a research or scientific organization, nor are they patient-oriented, rather they’re a lobbying organization for (less than a majority) of Utah focusing on what benefits members of the profession, though we can’t imagine most of their membership is onboard with their current tactics on this issue.

Their current focus is on “…the growing need for legislative/regulatory assistance, practical financial, business or practice management advice and products,” and “the growing need for legislative/regulatory assistance, practical financial, business or practice management advice and products,” however, “The Association recognizes and reflects that medicine is still a great way to make a living.”

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