It got through via a ballot initiative. It wouldn't have been passed by the legislators in UT without that.
That's why the guy in my state, C. Scott Grow, has also been fighting to make ballot initiatives harder. He's terrified that an MJ initiative would make it's way in that way.
Republicans in Utah are also trying to remove the power from ballot initiatives because they're upset the Utahans passed an anti-gerrymandering initiative.
> isn't seen by politicians as a motivating vote driver ... It got through via a ballot initiative
Those two seem a little at odds. People are going to vote against it, but not when it's specifically on the ballot?