A Democratic lawmaker in Utah just dropped a bill that could finally stop people from going to jail over a joint. Starting in 2026, first-time possession of up to 14 grams of marijuana would become a simple ticket, not a criminal case.
Rep. Grant Amjad Miller filed HB 172 this week, pushing to turn small-amount cannabis possession into a civil infraction for the first offense. That means no arrest record, no court date, and zero chance of jail time, just a fine up to $750.
This is the biggest step toward decriminalization Utah has seen in years.
What the Bill Actually Does
If passed, the new law would work like this:
- First offense (up to 14 grams): Civil fine only, max $750, no criminal record
- Second offense and beyond: Class B misdemeanor, possible jail time returns
- Anything over 14 grams or intent to distribute: Still a crime, no change
Miller told reporters the goal is simple: stop ruining lives over personal amounts when 19 states plus D.C. already have full adult-use legalization and 39 states allow medical or decriminalized possession.
Why Now? Utah Voters Already Said Yes to Weed
Utah voters passed medical marijuana with 53% support in 2018, but the legislature gutted the initiative before it even took effect. Six years later, over 100,000 Utahns are registered medical patients, yet adults caught with a gram outside the program still face up to six months in jail and a permanent record.
Miller says that gap has gone on long enough.
A 2023 Deseret News/Hinckley Institute poll showed 68% of Utah voters now support full legalization for adults, and support for simple decriminalization is even higher. Even among Republicans, 59% said they back ending criminal penalties for small possession.
How It Compares to Neighboring States
Utah remains one of the strictest states in the region:
- Colorado: Full adult-use legal since 2012
- New Mexico: Legal since 2021
- Arizona: Legal since 2020
- Montana: Legal since 2021
- Nevada: Legal since 2017
Only Idaho keeps criminal penalties as harsh as Utah currently does.
Real Impact on Real People
Last year alone, Utah courts processed nearly 2,800 misdemeanor marijuana possession cases. Most were first-time offenders carrying less than an ounce. Black Utahns, despite using cannabis at similar rates to white residents, were arrested at nearly three times the rate, according to the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice.
One ticket instead of one arrest can mean keeping a job, keeping an apartment, and keeping a future.
Salt Lake City and several other Utah cities already have local “lowest law enforcement priority” policies, meaning police rarely write tickets for small amounts anyway. Miller’s bill would make that practice statewide law.
The Road Ahead
The bill will be heard in the 2026 legislative session that starts in January. Republicans hold supermajorities in both the House and Senate, but decriminalization has picked up surprising GOP support in recent years.
Sen. Todd Weiler (R-Woods Cross), long a medical marijuana supporter, said he is “open” to discussing the idea. House Speaker Mike Schultz has not yet commented.
Advocacy groups like the Utah Patients Coalition and TRUCE Utah immediately praised the filing and promised to rally patients and voters.
Utah could soon join the growing list of red and purple states choosing fines over cages for small amounts of weed. For thousands of residents facing possession charges every year, the difference is life-changing.
