Mormon church backs deal to allow medical marijuana in Utah

After months of debating the Mormon Church the religious group has finally come to a compromise with advocates and lawmakers as they prepare to made a deal to legalize medical marijuana whether the upcoming ballot initiative passes or not. The ballot initiative had leaders of the Mormon Church concerned that people could grow their own cannabis plants at home and that edible marijuana products would be made into brownies and other treats that might appeal to children. The compromise would prohibit both home grows and certain edibles and thus garnered the support of the Mormons. If the ballot initiative does pass then lawmakers will revise it to the terms of the compromise, and if it does not pass then a special session will be called to create a law around the compromise. 

Though it still must go to a vote, the deal has the key backing of both the church and leaders of the Republican-dominated Legislature, who said the regulations in the hard-won agreement have their seal of approval. Unlike the ballot initiative, the compromise won’t allow people to grow their own marijuana if they live too far from a dispensary. It also doesn’t allow certain types of edible marijuana that could appeal to children, like cookies and brownies.