How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

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Atlantic
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How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

Post by Atlantic »

Found this Politico article documenting how the Church came around to a circumscribed medical marijuana bill in Utah really interesting. Particularly interesting is how the change of heart is attributed to polling showing overwhelming public support among Utahns. The dynamic here is interesting because it implies that the Church is aware of the limits to its power to influence Utah state politics, and is willing to take a pragmatic stance against its doctrine if it ensures it can keep a seat at the legislative table. I wonder what other issues might similarly force the Church's hand to support legislative action in Utah (even in watered-down form).
While some aspects of the church's role in the fight over medical marijuana have been chronicled before, a half-dozen lawmakers and advocates who worked on Utah's legalization effort offered new details to POLITICO: They explained how it first wielded influence both publicly and behind the scenes to oppose the issue, then — once polling showed overwhelming support among the public — employed that same political power to bring key players to the bargaining table to forge a compromise. The deal represented a shift for the church, but one that essentially rolled back a broader medical cannabis legalization ballot measure approved by voters in 2018.
Another interesting revelation in this reporting is that the Church's pragmatic coalition-building still seemingly has a red line: ex-Mormons.
Still, not everyone felt heard by the church in the compromise process. Patient advocacy group TRUCE no longer had a seat at the table. Its founder, Christine Stenquist, had left the church in 2017 and felt intentionally shut out of the negotiations.

“I'm the only one of that circle that isn't [a church member], and I'm the one that is completely shut out,” Stenquist said in an interview. “When the church doesn't like something, they hit the 'us versus them' thing. And it frustrates me to no end, because it isn't an 'us versus them' thing.”
Lastly, a good bit of information that was news to me is that the Church is allowing, at least impliedly, faithful members to use marijuana for medical reasons while still remaining in good standing.
A number of medical patients — many who were part of the faith — sat down with church representatives and explained how flower is important for quickly alleviating symptoms or seizures.

“[Church lobbyist Marty Stephens] came back to the meetings and said ‘Okay, I'm persuaded that we need this,’” said Boyack, who was in the room for the negotiations, referring to the church lobbyist.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/0 ... ana-491924
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Doctor CamNC4Me
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Re: How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

Post by Doctor CamNC4Me »

I read that article yesterday! The number of medical marijuana (MM) users surprised me - 26,000! And that’s, what, within just this first year? It’ll be interesting to see how many Mormons end up with a MM card. I also wonder if this will cut down on the number of people using alcohol and opioids to self-medicate. It’ll be worth following in order to understand trends regarding addiction, violent crimes, etc. to see if MM helps reduce those numbers.

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Doctor Steuss
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Re: How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

Post by Doctor Steuss »

I give it less than a year before doTERRA adds CBD to their lineup.
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Atlantic
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Re: How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

Post by Atlantic »

Doctor CamNC4Me wrote:
Thu Jun 10, 2021 5:44 pm
It’ll be interesting to see how many Mormons end up with a MM card.
I imagine that, if there's not already, at some point the Church is going to have to amend the Handbook to clarify WoW and medical marijuana. I can see some older-gen, traditionalist bishops denying temple recommends over this.
BeNotDeceived
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Re: How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

Post by BeNotDeceived »

A very interesting position the church decided to take given their billions invested in big pharma and the negative effect the alternative medicine industry can have on their profit margins, but they must value their tithe-paying members more than their big pharma stock portfolio.
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The Stig
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Re: How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

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Doctor Steuss wrote:
Thu Jun 10, 2021 5:52 pm
I give it less than a year before doTERRA adds CBD to their lineup.
Well, they'll have to some back-tracking to get there: https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/scie ... difference
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malkie
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Re: How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

Post by malkie »

The Stig wrote:
Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:55 pm
Doctor Steuss wrote:
Thu Jun 10, 2021 5:52 pm
I give it less than a year before doTERRA adds CBD to their lineup.
Well, they'll have to some back-tracking to get there: https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/scie ... difference
doTERRA wrote:For doTERRA, the fact that it is nearly impossible for CBD to meet CPTG Certified Pure Tested Grade™ standards for purity and potency is reason enough to keep it out of the product line.
All it takes is a little less than a miracle.
https://www.bartleby.com/73/1183.html
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The Stig
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Re: How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

Post by The Stig »

malkie wrote:
Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:49 pm
The Stig wrote:
Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:55 pm


Well, they'll have to some back-tracking to get there: https://www.doterra.com/US/en/blog/scie ... difference
doTERRA wrote:For doTERRA, the fact that it is nearly impossible for CBD to meet CPTG Certified Pure Tested Grade™ standards for purity and potency is reason enough to keep it out of the product line.
All it takes is a little less than a miracle.
https://www.bartleby.com/73/1183.html
Also true. Making the mundane into a miracle is also a special talent in LDS-world as well.
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Dwight
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Re: How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

Post by Dwight »

Glenn from Infants on Thrones interviewed Christine Stenquist about this. There are three, but I will just link to the first one. I am hazy but I recall Conor Boyack of the Libertas Institute was happy to get in the room and ice the exmormons out, betrayed true libertarian points just to get in good with people and be able to try and take the most credit possible for it.

https://infantsonthrones.com/ep-698-chr ... ah-part-1/
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Re: How the Mormon Church Opposed, and then Supported, Medical Marijuana in Utah

Post by Moksha »

This shows that despite intense dogmatism on medical cannabis, the Church knew not to make this a do-or-die issue like their war on the LGBTQ.

One issue I doubt the Church would be willing to take on is the out-of-control fascist Trump train that many members have jumped on. Once that train derails the economy, the same members will be looking toward the Brethren and asking, "Why didn't you stop us?" Their answer might be, "But we made it through Nazi Germany just fine with our Anglo Saxon tradition and support for the swastika."
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