The use of weed for personal and recreational use in Utah is considered illegal. Possession, distribution, and use of the drug in this state can lead to a range of punishments dependent on the amount possessed at the time of the punishment. People may be subject to a minor misdemeanor or a felony. Utah is largely considered the first state in the United States to ban the use of marijuana entirely. Prohibition surrounding the use of cannabis in the state went into effect in 1915.
Early regulation surrounding the use of medical marijuana was first approved in March 2014 for Utah. The government of Utah allowed legal possession of low-THC CBD oil for medical use. Only registered patients were permitted to possess the CBD oil, and they had to have a prescription from a registered physician. Although this was a giant first step in legalizing the use of medical cannabis, the provision did not detail a way for patients to legally possess or get the CBD oil, as there are no legal dispensaries in Utah.
Although initial approval for medical marijuana and CBD oil seemed to gain momentum, subsequent bills and initiatives have been largely rejected in the state. In 2015 efforts were underway to expand the applicable ailments and conditions eligible for medical marijuana treatment. This proposed resolution would expand medical marijuana use for people with Alzheimer's, cancers, malnutrition, and chronic disease, including Crohn's disease. The bill was only narrowly rejected by a single vote.
In 2018, a new bill was put in place that slightly increased the availability and use of medical marijuana. The "right to try" act was passed, which gives terminally ill patients the right to medical marijuana. Not only can qualifying patients use the drug, but they have the right to grow the plant in their private residence. Further, a second proposition was passed that allowed state-run dispensaries to open by January 2021 to distribute medical marijuana to qualifying patients with a legal prescription.
If a person is found with less than one ounce of marijuana intended for recreational use, the state considers this a class B misdemeanor. Punishment can include up to six months in jail as well as a fine not to exceed $1,000. If a person is found with more than one ounce, they may face up to a year of jail time and a fine not to exceed $2,500.