UTopiAH. This is Part of a series for comparing census based life expectancy and death rate tables, ranking states by how long we live, from 1960 to 2015. Included are medical conditions rating Utah’s #1 health rankings. After 2012, state rankings are now correlated to voting in the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, with Blue states on top, and Red states assigned to the bottom. Utopia is Sir Thomas More’s (1516) perfect place to live, and with a slight variation in spelling, perfectly describes Utah.

Part Sixteen. Life expectancy, state rankings, marijuana and tobacco use by state.

Utah has a number one track record among all states for health. Specifically, from 1960 to 1990, Utah’s rank for life expectancy climbed from 6th to 1st , the best, citing the US Census, as of 2006.Born of God

Ezra Taft Benson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote -The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.

In the 1960 census Utah ranked 6^th highest in life expectancy, climbing steadily in 1970, 1980, until 1990 Utah ranked 1^st – best- in life expectancy, and California ranked 32^nd highest (4^th quintile). The 1990 census was reported in 2004, as it takes about a decade and a half to crunch figures on 300 million people.

In 2018, MSN listed life expectancy rankings for the 50 states, with Hawaii 1^st, California 3^rd, and Utah 13^th (a huge tumble for Utah from 1^st). This is based on CDC switching

Utah ranks best (as of 2017) in many health categories according to United Health foundation, US Census, CDC, other major foundations that rank the 50 states – lowest smoking, lowest smoking among youth, lowest smoking among seniors, lowest deaths from cancer all types, lowest lung cancer, lowest diabetes, lowest hypertension, highest birth rate, lowest divorce rate, largest family, lowest DUI fatalities, lowest alcohol addiction, lowest drug addiction, lowest gambling addiction , best income advancement possibilities for poor from bottom quintile to top quintile (gini index), etc.

So now all the top quintile of state rankings for life expectancy are the Marijuana legal states. Who knew?

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICESCenters for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics

3311 Toledo Road, Room 5419

Hyattsville, MD 20782

Marijuana legalized

http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx

State	Statutory Language (year)	Patient Registry or ID cards	Allows Dispensaries	Specifies Conditions	Recognizes Patients from other states	State Allows for Retail Sales/Adult Use
Alaska	Measure 8(1998) SB 94 (1999) Statute Title 17, Chapter 37	Yes	Yes	Yes	No, but adults over 21 may purchase at retail adult dispensaries.	Ballot Measure 2(2014) Marijuana Regulations
Arizona	Proposition 203 (2010)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, for AZ-approved conditions, but not for dispensary purchases.
Arkansas	Issue 6 (2016) Details pending	Pending	Pending	Pending	Pending
California	Proposition 215 (1996) SB 420 (2003)	Yes	Yes (cooperatives and collectives)	No	No	Proposition 64 (2016)
Colorado Medical program info Adult-use info	Amendment 20 (2000)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Amendment 64(2012) Task Force Implementation Recommendations(2013) Analysis of CO Amendment 64 (2013) Colorado Marijuana Sales and Tax Reports 2014 “Edibles” regulation measure FAQ about CO cannabis laws by the Denver Post.
Connecticut	HB 5389 (2012)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Delaware	SB 17 (2011)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, for DE-approved conditions.
District of Columbia	Initiative 59(1998) L18-0210 (2010)	Yes	Yes	Yes		Initiative 71 (2014)
Florida	Amendment 2(2016) Details pending	Pending	Pending	Pending	Pending
Guam	Proposal 14A Approved in Nov. 2014, not yet operational. Draft rules released in July 2015	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Hawaii	SB 862 (2000)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Illinois	HB 1(2013) Eff. 1/1/2014 Rules	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Maine	Question 2(1999) LD 611(2002) Question 5(2009) LD 1811 (2010) LD 1296(2011)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, but not for dispensary purchases.	Question 1 (2016) page 4
Maryland	HB 702 (2003) SB 308 (2011) HB 180/SB 580 (2013) HB 1101-Chapter 403 (2013) SB 923 (signed 4/14/14) HB 881- similar to SB 923	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Massachusetts	Question 3(2012) Regulations(2013)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Question 4 (2016)
Michigan	Proposal 1 (2008)	Yes	Not in state law, but localities may create ordinances to allow them and regulate them.	Yes	Yes, for legal protection of posession, but not for dispensary purchases.
Minnesota	SF 2471, Chapter 311 (2014)	Yes	Yes, limited, liquid extract products only	Yes	No
Montana	Initiative 148(2004) SB 423 (2011) Initiative 182(2016)	Yes New details pending	No** New details pending	Yes New details pending	No New details pending
Nevada	Question 9(2000) NRS 453A NAC 453A	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, if the other state’s program are “substantially similar.” Patients must fill out Nevada paperwork. Adults over 21 may also purchase at adult retail dispensaries.	Question 2 (2016) page 25
New Hampshire	HB 573 (2013)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes, with a note from their home state, but they cannot purchase through dispensaries.
New Jersey	SB 119(2009) Program information	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
New Mexico	SB 523 (2007) Medical Cannabis Program	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
New York	A6357 (2014) Signed by governor 7/5/14	Yes	Ingested doses may not contain more than 10 mg of THC, product may not be combusted (smoked).	Yes	No
North Dakota	Measure 5(2016) Final details pending	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Ohio	HB 523 (2016) Approved by legislature, signed by governor 6/8/16, not yet operational			Yes
Oregon	Oregon Medical Marijuana Act(1998) SB 161(2007)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No, but adults over 21 may purchase at adult retail dispensaries.	Measure 91 (2014)
Pennysylvania	SB 3 (2016) Signed by governor 4/17/16 Not yet operational	Yes	Yes	Yes
Puerto Rico	Public Health Department Regulation 155 (2016) Not yet operational		Cannot be smoked
Rhode Island	SB 791(2007) SB 185 (2009)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Vermont	SB 76(2004) SB 7(2007) SB 17(2011) H.511 (2018)	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	H.511 approved by legislature, signed by governor 1/22/18. Effective July 1, 2018. Does NOT provide for legal production or sales. Allows adults 21 years or older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana. Selling marijuana in Vermont remains illegal. Allows adults to grow two mature plants. Public consumption of marijuana is also not allowed.
Washington	Initiative 692(1998) SB 5798 (2010) SB 5073(2011)	No	Yes, approved as of Nov. 2012, stores opened in July, 2014.	Yes	No, but adults over 21 may purchase at an adult retail dispensary.	Initiative 502 (2012) WAC Marijuana rules: Chapter 314-55 WAC FAQ about WA cannabis laws by the Seattle Times.
West Virginia	SB 386 (2017)	Yes	Yes. No whole flower/cannot be smoked but can be vaporized.	Yes	No, but may allow terminally ill to buy in other states.
TABLE 1. STATE MEDICAL MARIJUANA/CANNABIS PROGRAM LAWS

*The links and resources are provided for information purposes only. NCSL does not endorse the views expressed in any of the articles linked from this page.

** While Montana’s revised medical marijuana law limits caregivers to three patients, caregivers may serve an unlimited number of patients due to an injunction issued on January 16, 2013.

State	Program Name and Statutory Language (year)	Patient Registry or ID cards	Dispensaries or Source of Product(s)	Specifies Conditions	Recognizes Patients from other states	Defintion of Products Allowed	Allows for Legal Defense	Allowed for Minors
Alabama	SB 174 “Carly’s Law”(Act 2014-277) Allows University of Alabama Birmingham to conduct effectiveness research using low-THC products for treating seizure disorders for up to 5 years. HB 61 (2016) Leni’s Law allows more physicians to refer patients to use CBD for more conditions.	No	Provides legal defense for posession and/or use of CBD oil. Does not create an in-state production method.	Yes, debilitating epileptic conditions, life-threatening seizures, wasting syndrome, chronic pain, nausea, muscle spasms, any other sever condition resistant to conventional medicine.	No	Extracts that are low THC= below 3% THC	Yes	Yes
Florida (NEW comprehensive program approved in 2016, included in table above)	Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act of 2014 CS for SB 1030 (2014) Patient treatment information and outcomes will be collected and used for intractable childhood epilepsy research	Yes	Yes, 5 registered nurseries across the state by region, which have been in business at least 30 years in Florida.	Yes, cancer, medical condition or seizure disorders that chronically produces symptoms that can be alleviated by low-THC products	No	Cannabis with low THC= below .8% THC and above 10% CBD by weight		Yes, with approval from 2 doctors
Georgia	HB 1 (2015) (signed by governor 4/16/15)	Yes	Law allows University System of Georgia to develop a lot THC oil clinical research program that meets FDA trial compliance.	Yes, end stage cancer, ALS, MS, seizure disorders, Crohn’s, mitochondrial disease, Parkinson’s, Sickle Cell disease	No	Cannabis oils with low THC= below 5% THC and at least an equal amount of CDB.	Yes	Yes
Iowa	SF 2360, Medical Cannabidiol Act of 2014 (Effective 7/1/14)	Yes	Doesn’t define or provide in-state methods of access or production.	Yes, intractable epilepsy	No	“Cannabidiol- a non-psychoactive cannabinoid” that contains below 3% THC, no more than 32 oz, and essentially free from plant material.	Yes	Yes
Idaho- VETOED BY GOVERNOR	SB 1146 (VETOED by governor 4/16/15)	No	Doesn’t define.	The possessor has, or is a parent or guardian of a person that has, cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, mitochondrial disease, fibroymyalgia, Parkinson’s disease or sickle cell disease;	No	Is composed of no more than three-tenths percent (0.3%) tetrahydrocannabidiol by weight; is composed of at least fifteen (15) times more cannabidiol than tetrahydrocannabidiol by weight; and contains no other psychoactive substance.	Yes	Yes
Indiana	HB 1148 (2017)	Yes	Doesn’t define.	Treatment resistant epilepsy.	No	At least 5 percent CBD by weight. No more than .3 percent THC by weight.	Yes	Yes
Kentucky	SB 124 (2014) Clara Madeline Gilliam Act Exempt cannabidiol from the definition of marijuana and allows it to be administerd by a public university or school of medicine in Kentucky for clinical trial or expanded access program approved by the FDA.	No	Universities in Kentucky with medical schools that are able to get a research trial. Doesn’t allow for in-state production of CBD product.	Intractable seizure disorders	No	No, only “cannabidiol”.
Louisiana	SB 143 The “Alison Neustrom Act” Please see bolded comment to the right.		Louisiana State Univ. and the Southern Univ. Agricultural Center have the right of first refusal to be the licensed production facility. If they pass, it opens up to a competitive bid process.	Yes	No	NCSL counts this act as a low-THC program based on this statement in the enacted legislation. “THC shall be reduced to the lowest acceptable therapeutic levels available through scientifically acceptable methods.” NCSL also does NOT count this program as “comprehensive” because it does not allow for the combustion or vaporizing of flowered product. Other organizations or groups may count this as a comprehensive program, but please refer to NCSL’s definitions above. NCSL will reconsider its categorization based on final rules, regulations and practice when they are finalized.	Yes	Yes
Mississippi	HB 1231 “Harper Grace’s Law” 2014		All provided through National Center for Natural Products Research at the Univ. of Mississippi and dispensed by the Dept. of Pharmacy Services at the Univ. of Mississippi Medical Center	Yes, debilitating epileptic condition or related illness	No	“CBD oil” – processed cannabis plant extract, oil or resin that contains more than 15% cannabidiol, or a dilution of the resin that contains at least 50 milligrams of cannabidiol (CBD) per milliliter, but not more than one-half of one percent (0.5%) of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)	Yes, if an an authorized patient or guardian	Yes
Missouri	HB 2238 (2014)	Yes	Yes, creates cannabidiol oil care centers and cultivation and production facilities/laboratories.	Yes, intractable epilepsy that has not responded to three or more other treatment options.	No	“Hemp extracts” equal or less than .3% THC and at least 5% CBD by weight.	Yes	Yes
North Carolina	HB 1220 (2014) Epilepsy Alternative Treatment Act- Pilot Study HB 766 (2015) Removes Pilot Study designation	Yes	University research studies with a hemp extract registration card from the state DHHS or obtained from another jurisdiction that allows removal of the products from the state.	Yes, intractable epilepsy	No	“Hemp extracts” with less than nine-tenths of one percent (0.9%) tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) by weight. Is composed of at least five percent (5%) cannabidiol by weight. Contains no other psychoactive substance.	Yes	Yes
Oklahoma	HB 2154 (2015)	Yes	No in-state production allowed, so products would have to be brought in. Any formal distribution system would require federal approval.	People under 18 (minors) Minors with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, Dravet Syndrome, or other severe epilepsy that is not adequately treated by traditional medical therapies	No	A preparation of cannabis with no more than .3% THC in liquid form.	Yes	Yes, only allowed for minors
South Carolina	SB 1035 (2014) Medical Cannabis Therapeutic Treatment Act- Julian’s Law	Yes	Must use CBD product from an approved source; and (2) approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to be used for treatment of a condition specified in an investigational new drug application. -The principal investigator and any subinvestigator may receive cannabidiol directly from an approved source or authorized distributor for an approved source for use in the expanded access clinical trials. Some have interpreted the law to allow patients and caregivers to produce their own products.	Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, Dravet Syndrome, also known as severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy, or any other form of refractory epilepsy that is not adequately treated by traditional medical therapies.	No	Cannabidiol or derivative of marijuana that contains 0.9% THC and over 15% CBD, or least 98 percent cannabidiol (CBD) and not more than 0.90% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) by volume that has been extracted from marijuana or synthesized in a laboratory	Yes	Yes
Tennessee	SB 2531 (2014) Creates a four-year study of high CBD/low THC marijuana at TN Tech Univ. ______ HB 197 (2015)	Researchers need to track patient information and outcomes ______ No	Only products produced by Tennessee Tech University. Patients may possess low THC oils only if they are purchased “legally in the United States and outside of Tennessee,” from an assumed medical cannabis state, however most states do not allow products to leave the state. _____ Allows for legal defense for having the product as long as it was obtained legally in the US or other medical marijuana state.	Yes, intractable seizure conditions. ______ Yes, intractable seizure conditions.	No ______ No	“Cannabis oil” with less than .9% THC as part of a clinical research study ______ Same as above.	Yes	Yes
Texas	SB 339 (2015) Texas Compassionate Use Act	Yes	Yes, licensed by the Department of Public Safety.	Yes, intractable epilepsy.	No	“Low-THC Cannabis” with not more than 0.5 percent by weight of tetrahydrocannabinols; and not less than 10 percent by weight of cannabidiol	Yes	Yes
Utah	HB 105 (2014) Hemp Extract Registration Act	Yes	Not completely clear, however it may allow higher education institution to grow or cultivate industrial hemp.	Yes, intractable epilepsy that hasn’t responded to three or more treatment options suggested by neurologist.	No	“Hemp extracts” with less than .3% THC by weight and at least 15% CBD by weight and contains no other psychoactive substances	Yes	Yes
Virginia	HB 1445	No	No in-state means of acquiring cannabis products.	Intractable epilepsy	No	Cannabis oils with at least 15% CBD or THC-A and no more than 5% THC.	Yes	Yes
Wisconsin	AB 726 (2013 Act 267)	No	Physicians and pharmacies with an investigational drug permit by the FDA could dispense cannabidiol. Qualified patients would also be allowed to access CBD from an out-of-state medical marijuana dispensary that allows for out-of-state patients to use their dispensaries as well as remove the products from the state. No in-state production/manufacturing mechanism provided.	Seizure disorders		Exception to the definition of prohibited THC by state law, allows for possession of “cannabidiol in a form without a psychoactive effect.” THC or CBD levels are not defined.	No	Yes
Wyoming	HB 32 (2015) Supervised medical use of hemp extracts. Effective 7/1/2015	Yes	No in-state production or purchase method defined.	Intractable epilepsy or seizure disorders	No	“Hemp extracts” with less than 0.3% THC and at least 5% CBD by weight.	Yes	Yes
TABLE 2. LIMITED ACCESS MARIJUANA PRODUCT LAWS (LOW THC/HIGH CBD- CANNABIDIOL)

*The links and resources are provided for information purposes only. NCSL does not endorse the views expressed in any of the articles linked from this page.

Additional Resources

NCSL’s Marijuana Deep Dive pagefeaturing marijuana and cannabis laws on criminal justice, health and other resources.
NCSL FY 2018 letter the LCJPS Committee sent to the Hill opposing the withholding of funding for state with medical marijuana laws:

NCSL FY 2018 CJS Appropriations Support Letter. (May 16, 2017)

https://www.cdc.gov/statesystem/cigaretteuseadult.html

Note California has 13 times the Congressmen as Utah, but same sample size.

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State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System

Map of Current Cigarette Use Among Adults

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Current Cigarette Use Among Adults (Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System) 2016

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About This Map

8.8% – <12.1%

12.1% – <15.3%

15.3% – <18.6%

18.6% – <21.8%

21.8% – 25.1%

Data Table

Location	Data Value	Low Confidence Limit	High Confidence Limit	Sample Size
Alabama	21.5%	20.1%	22.9%	6,764
Alaska	19.0%	16.7%	21.3%	2,811
Arizona	14.7%	13.5%	15.9%	10,509
Arkansas	23.6%	21.3%	25.9%	5,112
California	11.0%	10.2%	11.8%	10,427
Colorado	15.6%	14.7%	16.5%	13,656
Connecticut	13.3%	12.3%	14.3%	10,635
Delaware	17.7%	16%	19.4%	3,906
District of Columbia	14.7%	13.2%	16.2%	3,736
Florida	15.5%	14.7%	16.3%	35,059
Georgia	17.9%	16.5%	19.3%	5,145
Guam	25.1%	21.6%	28.6%	1,523
Hawaii	13.1%	12%	14.2%	7,777
Idaho	14.5%	13%	16%	5,078
Illinois	15.8%	14.4%	17.2%	4,609
Indiana	21.1%	19.9%	22.3%	10,690
Iowa	16.7%	15.5%	17.9%	7,004
Kansas	17.2%	16.3%	18.1%	11,548
Kentucky	24.5%	23.1%	25.9%	9,978
Louisiana	22.8%	20.8%	24.8%	5,018
Maine	19.8%	18.5%	21.1%	9,774
Maryland	13.7%	12.9%	14.5%	17,563
Massachusetts	13.6%	12.5%	14.7%	7,960
Michigan	20.4%	19.4%	21.4%	11,668
Minnesota	15.2%	14.5%	15.9%	16,251
Mississippi	22.7%	21%	24.4%	4,974
Missouri	22.1%	20.5%	23.7%	6,918
Montana	18.5%	17%	20%	5,828
Nebraska	17.0%	16%	18%	14,790
Nevada	16.5%	14.8%	18.2%	4,219
New Hampshire	18.0%	16.4%	19.6%	6,212
New Jersey	14.0%	12.7%	15.3%	7,298
New Mexico	16.6%	15.1%	18.1%	5,808
New York	14.2%	13.4%	15%	32,223
North Carolina	17.9%	16.7%	19.1%	6,342
North Dakota	19.8%	18.3%	21.3%	5,542
Ohio	22.5%	21.3%	23.7%	11,999
Oklahoma	19.6%	18.2%	21%	6,690
Oregon	16.2%	14.9%	17.5%	5,122
Pennsylvania	18.0%	16.7%	19.3%	6,599
Puerto Rico	10.6%	9.4%	11.8%	5,730
Rhode Island	14.4%	13%	15.8%	5,261
South Carolina	20.0%	18.8%	21.2%	10,854
South Dakota	18.1%	16.2%	20%	5,623
Tennessee	22.1%	20.5%	23.7%	5,901
Texas	14.3%	13.1%	15.5%	11,171
Utah	8.8%	8%	9.6%	10,627
Vermont	17.0%	15.6%	18.4%	6,327
Virginia	15.3%	14.3%	16.3%	8,727
Washington	13.9%	13.1%	14.7%	13,832
West Virginia	24.8%	23.5%	26.1%	7,015
Wisconsin	17.1%	15.6%	18.6%	4,980
Wyoming	18.9%	16.9%	20.9%	4,393

Download Data (csv)

Based on OSHData dataset: Behavior Risk Factor Data: Tobacco Use (2011 and Later)

2011-2016. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System. BRFSS Survey Data. The BRFSS is a continuous, state-based surveillance system that collects information about modifiable risk factors for chronic diseases and other leading causes of death. The data for the STATE System were extracted from the annual BRFSS surveys from participating states. Tobacco topics included are cigarette smoking status, cigarette smoking prevalence by demographics, cigarette smoking frequency, and quit attempts. NOTE: these data are not to be compared with BRFSS data collected 2010 and prior, as the methodologies were changed. Please refer to the FAQs / Methodology sections for more details.

Page last reviewed:September 19, 2017
Content source:
- Office on Smoking and Health,National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Email

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800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636), TTY: 888-232-6348
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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

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