Learn more about marijuana in Utah
Is Marijuana Legal in Utah?▼
Utah’s medical marijuana program is not currently up and running. The state will start accepting applications for medical marijuana dispensaries no later than January 2020. Per the compromise bill passed in December 2018, only seven dispensaries (called “pharmacies” under the compromise bill) will be allowed to operate.
When Did Marijuana Become Legal in Utah?▼
Utah voted yes on Proposition 2 in November 2018, and the compromise bill was passed in December 2018.
Where Are Dispensaries Located in Utah?▼
There are currently no legal medical marijuana dispensaries in Utah. They will start accepting applications on or before March 1, 2020.
Are the Dispensaries in Utah Medical, Recreational, or Both?▼
There are no medical dispensaries open at this time. Recreational marijuana will remain illegal.
Where Can Marijuana be Consumed in Utah?▼
Medical marijuana can be consumed by medical cardholders in their private residences. Marijuana cannot be publicly consumed anywhere in Utah. Even under Proposition 2, marijuana cannot be smoked, even in private residences.
How Do I Get a Job in the Utah Marijuana Industry?▼
As of December 2018, applications for dispensary licenses are currently closed.
Is Drug Testing for Marijuana Legal in Utah?▼
Yes, and the state will observe medical marijuana as equivalent to any other substance used at the discretion of a physician.
Is Delivery of Marijuana Legal in Utah?▼
Marijuana delivery is not legal in Utah.
How Do I Pay for Marijuana in Utah?▼
Regulations have not been outlined for payments at medical marijuana dispensaries. However, dispensaries will likely only take cash because banks are reluctant to get involved with cannabis companies since it is still federally illegal.
Marijuana is Legal▼
Utah passed their medical marijuana compromise bill in early December of 2018, and Utah lawmakers are referring to their program as the “best-designed medical cannabis program in the country.” The program is fairly limited in terms of how many dispensaries they will allow, what conditions will qualify for a medical card, and what products cardholders will be allowed to buy. Proposition 2 faced oppositon from conservatives and religious groups for being too lenient, while The Utah Medical Cannabis Act is facing strong opposition from cannabis activists who believe the program is too limited.
Purchase and Possession Limits▼
As long as a medical marijuana cardholder is in possession of their medical card and a label detailing the dosage of the cannabis product and what it is, and if the identification number is on the product (proving it was purchased from a licensed dispensary), the cardholder may possess no more than:
- 113 grams of unprocessed cannabis; or
- An amount of cannabis product that contains 20 grams of total composite THC
Under Utah law, any form of smokable cannabis will remain illegal.
Growing Marijuana at Home▼
Prop 2 would have allowed for medical marijuana cardholders who lived over 100 miles from a dispensary to grow at home, but the Utah Medical Cannabis Act removed that right. The state is fully in charge of growing marijuana, so no one is allowed to grow marijuana plants at home.
Driving and Marijuana▼
Driving While Intoxicated
Marijuana is considered to be a controlled substance, and “driving with any measurable controlled substance in the body” is illegal. A person may not operate or be in physical control of a vehicle if they have “any measurable controlled substance or metabolite of a controlled substance” in their body. This law will likely come under fire considering THC can stay in the system long after the psychoactive effects of marijuana have worn off.
Driving While in Possession of Marijuana
Laws for medical cardholders driving while in possession of marijuana have not been outlined as of now.
