SALT LAKE CITY — The Word of Wisdom, a lifestyle tenet central to the faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was introduced in a bill on the House floor of the Utah State Legislature.
Rep. Matt MacPherson, R-West Valley City, introduced "Word of Wisdom Amendments" as a substitute to Senate Bill 45, which bans most kratom products in the state. The substitute bill was pretty much scripture word-for-word.
"A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of state residents," it began. "Not by commandment or constraint, but by the word of wisdom. Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all state residents, who are or can be called state residents. In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring individuals in the last days."
On the House floor, Rep. MacPherson made it clear his comments were tongue-in-cheek.
"I’d just assume we go all the way and put into effect a health code that’s already been adopted in vast areas of Utah," he said. "And it really just impart of the wisdom of the legislature on the masses in the streets that don’t have the same moral clarity we do."
He argued that Utah loves to tax and regulate alcohol and tobacco, so why ban kratom products? Some of his House colleagues appeared to not appreciate his substitute.
"I appreciate the light-heartedness of this," said Rep. Katy Hall, R-Ogden. "To me, I’m sorry, this isn’t a light-hearted issue."
House Minority Whip Jennifer Dailey-Provost, D-Salt Lake City, who is also sponsoring bills to restrict kratom in Utah, spoke against the substitute.
"If we want to have a discussion about tobacco and the risks to society? I am here for that conversation. If we want to have a discussion about alcohol and the risks of society? I am here for that conversation. This is about kratom," she said.
The substitute was quickly voted down and the overall bill, which restricts everything except kratom leaf from being sold in Utah, passed 63-10.
Rep. MacPherson declined to comment to FOX 13 News afterward, referring to his speech on the House floor.
As the bill was debated, kratom sellers and manufacturers watched anxiously on a monitor positioned outside the House chamber.
"The way this bill just passed? We will be out of business," Ryan Niddell of Diversified Botanics told FOX 13 News.
Kratom sellers, who would be prohibited from selling anything except pure kratom leaf under SB45. They have pushed back against the bill, arguing their products do help people.
"Unfortunately, with the way this regulation just went? We will have to find another state to operate in," Niddell said.
Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, acknowledged the "Word of Wisdom" amendment was strange (and a clerical error in the House temporarily renamed the bill that, giving him a chuckle).
"It got a little weird," he said, later telling reporters: "This is a business that has addicted and killed people. To me, it’s gas station heroin and I don’t want to be part of that in this state."
