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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — One of two proposals this year to expand Utah's medical marijuana law sets up tight controls around a cannabis extract some conservative legislators may see as a safer option than a broader medical pot program.
Utah already allows the extract, called cannabidiol, to be used by those with severe epilepsy, as long as they obtain the product from other states.
Rep. Brad Daw of Orem and Sen. Evan Vickers of Cedar City, both Republicans, have proposed expanding the group of people allowed to use cannabidiol and setting up a way to distribute it in Utah.
The plan is expected to go before Utah's Senate next week for a vote.
Utah is one of 17 states that allow some with specific medical conditions to use cannabidiol but don't allow broader use of marijuana for medical reasons.
Another Utah Republican lawmaker has proposed a broader medical marijuana program that would allow the use of edible pot products, but supporters worry that the Mormon church's opposition to the plan may have torpedoed it.
Both plans are awaiting a vote by the Utah Senate.
Here are things to know about the cannabidiol plan from Daw and Vickers:
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WHAT IS CANNABIDIOL?
Cannabidiol is extracted from the cannabis plant but is made from a strain that's low in THC, the hallucinogenic chemical in marijuana, and high in CBD, a chemical that some believe helps fight seizures and treats other conditions. The plan Utah lawmakers are considering would allow the extract to be sold as an oil, pill, tablet or patch.
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HOW WILL IT BE MADE?
The extract would be tracked from the plant stage through its sale to patients. The bill would set up tight controls over the product, including requirements that handling and processing be recorded on video and that the plant be grown indoors in buildings that obscure it from the outside view. Growers, producers and testing labs will be licensed by the state, and no more than two of each kind of license will be issued at any time. No more than five dispensaries would be allowed.
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WHO CAN PRESCRIBE IT AND WHO CAN USE IT?
The extract would be used by people looking to treat pain and symptoms associated with cancer, HIV, AIDs, stroke and certain pain conditions. Any doctor who wants to recommend the use of cannabidiol would have to register with the state and undergo training. Doctors cannot recommend the product to more than 100 patients at a time. They must check a controlled substance database before recommending it to see if the patient has already obtained prescriptions and isn't looking to abuse the product.
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HOW DO PATIENTS GET IT?
Once a doctor recommends the extract, the patient would apply for a cannabidiol card from Utah's Department of Health. If a doctor determines that the patient cannot pick up the extract themselves from the dispensary, the patent can have two designated caregivers who are allowed to pick it up for them. The caregivers would have to carry a card with their name and the patient's name and undergo a background check, among other restrictions. Cardholders will be entered into a state database and their purchases of the product will be electronically tracked. Patients would not be allowed to have more than a 30-day supply at one time. Patients would have to renew their card every two years.
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