Pubdate: Fri, 01 Jul 2011 Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicle (MT) Copyright: 2011 The Bozeman Daily Chronicle Contact: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1686 Author: Carly Flandro, Chronicle Staff Writer Referenced: Judge James Reynolds' decision regarding SB 423: http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/213915-judge-james-reynolds-decision-on-montana-medical.html 'AN EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER' Caregivers Preparing to Close Shop Meet Judge'S Ruling With Cautious Optimism At 5 p.m. Thursday, Chuck Campbell didn't know if his medical marijuana store, Montana Buds, would close forever or be open for business the following day. And Mike Mason, the store's office manager, didn't know whether he'd have a job Friday. In what could have been the store's last hours of business, Mason sat on an overturned bucket, scrubbing glass jars that had once been full of marijuana. The stores shelves were empty except for the last remaining bags of marijuana, and a front desk employee weighed out ounces of marijuana for patients, urging them to buy then because on Friday, it would likely be illegal. A law that would have banned the sale of medical marijuana in Montana was set to go into effect today, and after closing time Thursday, Montana Buds employees were planning to deliver approximately 200 marijuana plants to local law enforcement for destruction. But that never happened. Shortly after 5 p.m., they got the news: Helena District Judge James Reynolds blocked the parts of the law from going into effect that would have put an end to medical marijuana sales, and to providing care to more than three people. Campbell and a group of employees and friends stood in a circle as they read the news aloud from cell phones. But there was more confusion than celebration because the changes the judge had made were at first unclear. "I just want to be done," Campbell said. "Whatever I'm supposed to do just tell me and I'll do it." At one point, he told employees to load the plants onto the truck, entertaining the idea of just giving up since the new law still might mean he'd have to re-apply to become a caregiver. But ten minutes later, he announced he wasn't throwing anything away. "I'll start hammering through the paperwork tomorrow," he said. Just before the news broke, Mason had been wondering if he'd be looking for a job the next day. The last few months at the store have been stressful, he said, because it's had to prepare for shutting down and staying open. "We've been going through everything for a full shutdown," Mason said. "We're not trying to break the law." Before the news, Campbell had also been thinking about his next move. He opened his shop nine months ago after his construction company, Campbell Enterprises, went out of business. He sold his construction tools to open his shop, so returning to that profession wouldn't be an option. So then what? "Bartending," Campbell said. "What am I supposed to do?" While he was prepared to turn in all the marijuana he had, Campbell said it would be heartbreaking. It would be turning in more than plants, he said - it would be turning in his mortgage, his groceries, everything he had. "Nobody wants to give away their entire livelihood," he said. But now, he may not have to. Campbell said the store will keep operating, but he met the judge's decision with cautious optimism. "There's just so much that's unknown about this, it's not a comfortable position to be in as a person who wants to obey the rules," he said. And even though the shop could be open today, Campbell's not sure it will be. "We might take a Montana Buds vacation day just because we've all been through such an emotional rollercoaster on this," he said. "But if we can be here for our patients we will be." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.