Gov. Gary Herbert says allowing people with certain medical conditions to use marijuana "is a common-sense thing."
The Republican governor's comments at his monthly televised news conference on KUED Thursday showed he's more open to a broader medical marijuana law in Utah.
Utah has a very limited program allowing those with severe epilepsy use cannabis extract oil obtained from other states.
Herbert has said in the past that he worried a broader law could allow recreational users to easily obtain marijuana prescriptions.
Herbert now says Utah should move forward on the issue but he wants science that shows marijuana is an effective treatment and a program with strict controls.
He says he'd prefer that Congress legalize the use of marijuana for medical reasons rather than leaving states to set up plans that violate federal law.