It was never a secret to most Utahns that the Mormon Church not only opposed legalized medical cannabis, but was behind the scenes in a big way to get [Proposition 2](https://ballotpedia.org/Utah_Proposition_2,Medical_Marijuana_Initiative(2018%29) removed from the November ballot, despite having legally passed requirements to be on it.
A church spokesman confirmed to FOX 13 that the church is now intending to participate in an event sponsored by Drug Safe Utah, one of the leading opponents of the MMJ ballot initiative.
Drug Safe Utah, along with Utah millionaire Walter Plumb, have undertaken their second lawsuit to keep the initiative from appearing on the ballot in November’s elections. The first lawsuit was withdrawn in July.
The gist of the current lawsuit cites that legal medical cannabis will violate Mormons’ religious beliefs, because they might have to rent property to MMJ consumers whom they regard as “repugnant.” Although it is notable that, up until now, the Mormon Church has denied all involvement in the case.
The Mormon Church’s influence in Utah is also nothing new. Some 62 percent of the state’s 3.1 million residents are Mormons.
Although some analysts say that even among the Mormons, there is support for legalizing medical marijuana. Numerous Mormon families with epileptic children have left the state for Colorado to legally access their children’s medicine.
DJ Schanz, director of the Utah Patients Coalition, which is sponsoring Prop. 2, has called on the Mormon Church to make its position known and not stand behind frivolous lawsuits.
“Public policy is best made transparently in the light of day. For those looking to undermine the will of the voters by circumventing democratic processes with continued political parlor tricks we would ask, come to the public arena and make your case in the public square, not in smoke filled rooms at the Governor’s office or behind closed doors at the Church Office Building,” said Schanz. “The citizens of Utah have had a robust debate the last four years and are ready to stand with medical patients in November.”
