Utah marijuana laws won’t budge for California trio
Three Californians caught with marijuana in Cedar City in November of 2001 are attempting to change Utah’s laws prohibiting even the medicinal use of marijuana.
There are no medical marijuana laws in Utah, which means any one in possession of marijuana is guilty of at least a class B misdemeanor for having up to one ounce to a third degree felony for having from one to 100 pounds of marijuana in their possession.
Dennis Peron, 55 of San Francisco, Calif., was charged with possessing more than a pound of marijuana. The state of California allows patients to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal medicinal use if a doctor approves it.
“My physician recommended for me to use marijuana because I was an alcoholic. I was one of those people who never could have just one drink,” Peron said.
Peron said he has been “stone cold sober” for the past 22 years since he began using marijuana as part of his recovery process.
Peron and two friends were caught with marijuana at a Motel 6 while on their way to Zion National Park for a camping trip. They were later released on bail. The trial has not been set, and Peron said they are hoping to avoid having one altogether.
“We are motioning to dismiss the trial on account of a faulty search,” Peron said. “If we do end up going to trial, my physician said he would testify on my defense.”
Peron met with patients in Utah and said he “felt their pain” with Utah’s law against real patients.
“Utah needs to change its laws to allow medical use of marijuana,” Peron said.
Iron County Chief Deputy Attorney Paul Billmenn, who is prosecuting the case, said, “The law pertains to prescription drugs, not marijuana.”
Any use of marijuana, even medical, is illegal in the state of Utah.
District 25 Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard, said, “[Mr. Peron] knew he was breaking the law when he brought marijuana into the state of Utah. It’s very clear in America we operate by law, so he should face the consequences of his actions.”
Peron began a Democracy Tour of colleges in Utah to generate positive feedback and hundreds of letters to politicians asking them what they were doing to protect medical marijuana patients in Utah.
“The message we wanted from the tour was about hope-hope for the patients,” Peron said.
Hillyard said there will be no change in the marijuana laws in Utah during his lifetime.