SALT LAKE CITY — Doctors here have for years talked about the widespread use of antidepressants in the state. But there was no hard evidence until a national study that tracked drug prescriptions came to an unexpected conclusion:

Antidepressant drugs are prescribed in Utah more often than in any other state, at a rate nearly twice the national average.

Utah’s high usage was cited by one of the study’s authors as the most surprising finding to emerge from the data. The study was released last summer and updated in January.

Other states with high antidepressant use were Maine and Oregon. Utah’s rate of antidepressant use was twice the rate of California and nearly three times the rates in New York and New Jersey, the study showed.

Few here question the veracity of the study, which was a tabulation of prescription orders, said Dr. Curtis Canning, president of the Utah Psychiatric Assn. But trying to understand the “why” has puzzled many, he said.

“The one true answer is we don’t know,” said Canning, who has a private practice in Logan. “I have some hunches.

“In Mormondom, there is a social expectation–particularly among the females–to put on a mask, say ‘Yes’ to everything that comes at her and hide the misery and pain. I call it the ‘Mother of Zion’ syndrome. You are supposed to be perfect because Mrs. Smith across the street can do it and she has three more kids than you and her hair is always in place. I think the cultural issue is very real. There is the expectation that you should be happy, and if you’re not happy, you’re failing.”

http://articles.latimes.com/2002/feb/20/news/mn-28924

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From a document by an Idaho state Rep (Tom Trail)

Seven states have approved hemp cultivation. Many more might follow if North Dakota clears all the administrative and legal hurdles. Idaho Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, says he will resubmit a thrice-rejected bill allowing farmers to plant hemp if North Dakota succeeds. To the Eastern Idaho legislators who object, Trail notes that Brigham Young, patriarch of the early Mormon Church, directed Utah settlers to grow hemp.

“I think it’s a good crop,” Trail says.

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/tools/story_pf.asp?ID=166347

Here are other references to Brigham Young’s direction to Mormon settlers.

(he also instructed them to grow tobacco)

A.D. 1854. The earliest paper to be made in Utah was formed by hand by Thomas Howard, an English Mormon, assisted by Thomas Hollis. The small beginning was sponsored by Brigham Young (1801-77) and the Mormon Church.  The first sheets of paper were produced on June 27, 1854 and probably found their original use in the printing of the Deseret News, Brigham Young‘s newspaper, which began publication in Great Salt Lake City, June 15, 1850 this notice appeared in his newspaper:  Rags! Rags! Rags! Save your rags, everybody in Deseret, save your rags; old wagon covers [hemp], tents [hemp], quilts [hemp and flax], shirts [hemp], etc., are wanted for paper. [First mill opened in the Far West.]

http://www.hempmuseum.org/SUBROOMS/HEMP%20PAPER%20CHRON.htm

This one from Rep. Tom Trails of Idaho:

http://www.infotrail.com/idaho2008/Pre_Legislative_Update/Hemp_Update/hemp_update.html

Like the prohibition in the 30′s that cost much money and many lives.  This prohibition (of cannabis) will end too!

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