A recent study conducted by the Cannabis Public Policy Consulting (CPPC) at the request of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) has shed light on the state of Utah’s medical cannabis market. The study found that approximately 60% of medical cannabis patients in Utah are obtaining their medication from outside the state’s legal market, according to a report by Cache Valley Daily.
Dr. Brandon Forsyth, the UDAF director of industrial hemp and medical cannabis, emphasized the importance of the annual market analysis in evaluating the accessibility of medical cannabis for patients. He stated, “The state completes the market analysis every year to evaluate whether or not the Utah Medical Cannabis program is fulfilling its duty to ensure that medical cannabis patients have adequate access to the medicine they need.”
Despite Utah’s relatively low monthly prices for medical cannabis products, which rank in the bottom ten among U.S. states, nearly a quarter of patients are still traveling outside of the state to obtain products due to the perceived high cost within the state. Forsyth expressed satisfaction with the overall affordability of medical cannabis in Utah compared to other markets, stating, “I am proud to see that overall, patients are able to legally access their medication within the state at a reasonable cost compared to other medical cannabis markets.”
The study surveyed nearly 200 medical cannabis patients in Utah, revealing that 58% of respondents believed there was plenty of medical cannabis supply in the state, while 41% reported that there was a limited or very limited supply of products available.
According to figures from the Marijuana Policy Project, Utah currently has approximately 71,850 registered medical cannabis patients.
As efforts continue to develop and regulate the medical cannabis market in Utah, addressing the issues highlighted in this study will be crucial to ensuring that patients have safe and legal access to their medication within the state.
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