{"id":3267,"date":"2017-12-17T09:52:10","date_gmt":"2017-12-17T09:52:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/laws-and-regulations\/utah"},"modified":"2025-11-26T18:33:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T18:33:36","slug":"utah","status":"publish","type":"law","link":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/laws-and-regulations\/utah","title":{"rendered":"Utah Weed Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tIs weed legal in Utah? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Utah, medical cannabis is available to patients with qualifying conditions. Adult-use, or recreational, cannabis remains illegal, and possession of small amounts may result in criminal penalties.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tLegislation history<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On Nov. 6, 2018, Utah voters <\/span>approved Proposition 2<\/span><\/a>, allowing patients to obtain and use medical marijuana and state-licensed facilities to grow, process, test, or sell cannabis for medicinal purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the weeks leading to Election Day, the fervor generated by Proposition 2 Utah prompted Republican Gov. Gary Herbert, the Utah Legislature, and proposition proponents and opponents \u2014 including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest religious community in the state \u2014 to craft a compromise cannabis law regardless of the outcome of the vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The compromise bill called for relaxing medical cannabis card renewal requirements, tightening qualifications for who could be a caregiver or guardian, offering employment protections for patients, and regulating how medical marijuana could be consumed. The legislature passed the compromise bill Dec. 3 2018, and Herbert signed it the same day. It was HB 3001, <\/span>the Utah Medical Cannabis Act<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Utah has frequently tweaked its medical marijuana laws to loosen some restrictions and tighten others. For example, HB 195, signed in 2018, allowed terminally ill patients to try medicinal marijuana. HB 121, signed in 2020, allowed for the expungement of some cannabis-related convictions and required seed-to-sale tracking, among other things. HB 425, also signed in 2020, waived some ID card requirements to make it easier for patients to purchase medical marijuana during the coronavirus pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Utah Department of Health (UDOH)<\/a> oversees the state's medical marijuana program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tWhere is it safe to purchase cannabis in Utah?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Patients 18 and older, a parent or legal guardian of a minor patient, and designated caregivers may purchase medical cannabis from a state-approved pharmacy<\/a>. Each purchaser must have a medical cannabis card. All cards for patients younger than 21 must be approved by Utah's Compassionate Use Board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardholders can purchase up to 112 grams (3.95 ounces) of cannabis with up to 19 grams (0.67 ounces) of total THC within a 30-day period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tWhere is it safe to consume cannabis in Utah?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Patients must consume their marijuana in private unless it's a medical emergency. They can't smoke cannabis anywhere or consume it while driving a vehicle.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Utah, medical marijuana may be taken as a tablet, capsule, concentrated oil, liquid suspension, skin patch, or a gelatin cube that can be chewed or dissolved. The state also allows the vaping of flower, resin, or wax as well as the purchasing of vaporizers and vape pens. The use of flames, like blowtorches, is prohibited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tPossession limits in Utah<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Medical cannabis cardholders can possess up to 112 grams (3.95 ounces) of cannabis within a 30-day period. When transporting or possessing marijuana outside the home, a patient or caregiver must carry their state-issued medical cannabis card. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those without state-issued medical cannabis cards, possession of less than 1 ounce (28.35 grams) of marijuana is a class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1,000. A second conviction is a class A misdemeanor, while a third or subsequent conviction could result in a third-degree felony.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tIs home cultivation allowed in Utah?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Home cultivation is not permitted in Utah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tMedical marijuana registry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The state's Department of Health oversees the electronic verification system<\/a> or registry, which maintains a list of patients, caregivers, medical care providers, and pharmacies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Qualifying conditions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Medical conditions qualifying patients for cannabis under the Utah Medical Cannabis Program include:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n