LIFE MATTERS MEDIA STAFF

A new law signed by Utah Gov. Gary Herbert allows terminally ill patients the “right to try” medicinal cannabis.

The law, which went into effect this week, allows some dying patients to possess and use marijuana. The measure ties medicinal cannabis to 2015’s Right to Try Act, which allows seriously ill patients to experiment with medical treatments not approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

HB 195 sailed through the state Legislature and was signed into law March 21.

Doctors may only prescribe a one month supply of medical marijuana to 25 patients at any one time. The state also passed a companion bill requiring the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to grow marijuana.

“This bill becomes the way to supply a genuine cannabis medicine for both those programs. We need to pass this bill if we want to have patients the ability to try both under Right to Try and under research,” sponsor Rep. Brad Daw told his colleagues.

Health insurers are not required to cover the costs of such treatments.