Utah House Committee Approves Psychedelics Research For Mental Health Conditions And Protecting MMJ Patients In Workplace

Utah's House committee voted on Thursday to set up a Mental Illness Psychotherapy Drug Task Force to research and offer recommendations on the therapeutic value of psychedelics, reported Marijuana Moment. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Brady Brammer (R), was approved by the House Health and Human Services Committee in a 10-1 vote.

Under the legislation, the new task force would study and make recommendations on controlled substances “not currently available for legal use” and that “may be able to treat, manage, or alleviate symptoms from mental illness.”

Brammer stressed that the bill does not legalize anything. “The use of psychedelics has been studied for those types of treatments,” he said. “I thought, if this is a tool that can help, we need it in our toolbox—but it needs to be safe, and we need to do it the right way.”

Bill To Protect Medical Marijuana Patients In Workplace 

Utah lawmakers said yes to the proposed measure, Senate Bill 46, aimed at protecting state employees from being penalized in the workplace for their off-the-job use of medical marijuana, reported Norml. The legislation was approved in a 26-1 Senate vote, while House members advanced it in a 68 to 4 vote. 

The bill now heads to Republican Governor Spencer Cox’ desk for his signature. 

If the governor signs the measure, the law will restrain state employers from penalizing workers who consume cannabis at home under Utah’s medical marijuana access law. Furthermore, the bill also prohibits judges and juries to discriminate against medical marijuana patients during a judicial proceeding. 

It is important to note, however, that the legislation does not provide protection for employees who work at private companies, and does not permit anyone to work while under the influence of marijuana. 

“While this bill is somewhat limited in scope, it is consistent with the laws of a growing number of jurisdictions that recognize that off-hours cannabis use poses no legitimate threat to either workplace safety or productivity,” NORML’s deputy director Paul Armentano said. “Tens of millions of Americans consume cannabis responsibly while in the privacy of their own homes and it serves no purpose to allow employers to unduly discriminate against them.”

Photo: Courtesy of Pretty Drugthings on Unsplash