Democrat Mike Weinholtz says if he is elected Governor this November, he will work to legalize medical marijuana in the state. The announcement came Tuesday after his wife pleaded guilty to misdemeanor pot-possession charges.
Weinholtz’s wife Donna suffers from chronic pain related to arthritis and a degenerative spinal condition. Weinholtz says she was faced with the decision to either live with crippling chronic pain, embrace risky procedures and addictive prescription opioids or use medical marijuana, which they both understood to be illegal.
“If the person you love most in the world was faced that decision, what would you council them?” Weinholtz asked. “If they chose to reject dangerous and addictive opioids, what would you suggest?”
Weinholtz described times when his wife was doubled over in pain, unable to sleep or get out of bed.
“But you know what? This is bigger than Donna and it’s bigger than our family,” he said. “This is about the tens of thousands of Utah families who face that same awful decision every single day.”
Weinholtz plans to release a policy proposal later this week.
Donna Weinholtz’s plea deal calls for a fine and probation rather than jail time.
