In Utah, state officials have reported that in 2023, a significant 59% of cannabis products were obtained from non-authorized sources by patients, despite the availability of Utah’s medical cannabis program.
This trend towards the purchase of cannabis from non-licensed dealers was highlighted in a recent market analysis for the year 2023, conducted by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, which was disclosed last Friday.
Dr. Brandon Forsyth, the Director of Industrial Hemp and Medical Cannabis at UDAF, stated, “We conduct a market analysis annually to ascertain if the Utah medical cannabis program is effectively meeting its objective of providing medical cannabis patients with sufficient access to necessary medication. It is encouraging to observe that patients are, for the most part, able to procure their medication legally within the state at a cost that is competitive with other medical cannabis markets. Nevertheless, it is evident that we need to intensify our efforts to transition more individuals in Utah from illicit sources to the medical cannabis program,” remarked Forsyth.
The market analysis was executed by the third-party firm, Cannabis Public Policy Consulting, which surveyed 197 individuals who are currently or were previously enrolled in Utah’s medical cannabis program. This was outlined in a press release by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.
Although the full report was not released, the department highlighted several key findings from the market analysis, as identified by UDAF, which include:
- A majority of 74.5% of patients felt no necessity to seek medical cannabis products outside of Utah.
- A considerable 59% of cannabis products were procured from unauthorized sources instead of regulated dispensaries.
- About 58% of the participants indicated that there was an ample supply of medical cannabis products available.
- However, 41% of the patients experienced a restricted or severely limited supply of medical cannabis products.
- 25% of patients opted to travel outside Utah in search of cannabis products, driven by cost considerations.
The state officials have committed to addressing the concerns highlighted in the market analysis to ensure patients are deterred from sourcing medical cannabis through illegal and potentially unsafe channels.
Following the approval of Proposition 2 by Utah voters in November 2018, which legalized the use of cannabis for individuals with qualifying medical conditions, Utah inaugurated its first licensed medical cannabis dispensary in March 2020. The state currently boasts 15 licensed dispensaries, which are preferred to be called pharmacies by state officials.
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