HELENA - Two dramatically different pictures emerged Tuesday about the financial impact of repealing the state law legalizing medical marijuana. House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade, told the House Appropriations Committee that a cost estimate from the governor's budget office shows if his bill repealing the law passes, it would cost the state nearly $263,000 in fiscal 2012 but save the state about $317,000 in 2013, $479,000 in 2014 and $496,500 in 2015. The Appropriations Committee is examining House Bill 161 before a final vote on the bill by the full House, which already had a 63-37 preliminary vote last week to pass the measure. [continues 474 words]
Two dramatically different pictures emerged Tuesday about the financial impact of repealing the state law legalizing medical marijuana. House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade, told the House Appropriations Committee that a cost estimate from the governor's budget office shows if his bill repealing the law passes, it would cost the state nearly $263,000 in fiscal 2012 but save the state about $317,000 in 2013, $479,000 in 2014 and $496,500 in 2015. The Appropriations Committee is examining House Bill 161 before a final vote on the bill by the full House, which already had a 63-37 preliminary vote last week to pass the measure. [continues 474 words]
HELENA -- Two dramatically different pictures emerged Tuesday about the financial impact of repealing the state law legalizing medical marijuana. House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade, told the House Appropriations Committee that a cost estimate from the governor's budget office shows if his bill repealing the law passes, it would cost the state nearly $263,000 in fiscal 2012 but save the state about $317,000 in 2013, $479,000 in 2014 and $496,500 in 2015. The Appropriations Committee is examining House Bill 161 before a final vote on the bill by the full House, which already had a 63-37 preliminary vote last week to pass the measure. [continues 474 words]
A Billings group is launching a $20,000 weeklong, statewide television advertising campaign to ask Montanans to urge their state senators and Gov. Brian Schweitzer to support repealing Montana's 2004 law legalizing medical marijuana. The ad will be taped today and will begin running on Tuesday. It will feature some kids talking about marijuana getting into schools. Cherrie Brady of Billings heads the group, Safe Community, Safe Kids, which is running the advertising campaign. Brady said the theme of the TV ad is that "our kids are in trouble and that medical marijuana has penetrated the schools." [continues 473 words]
HELENA - On a mostly party-line vote with Republicans in favor, the Montana House voted 63-37 Thursday to repeal the voter-passed 2004 law that legalized the use of mari-juana for medical purposes, as GOP lawmakers labeled it a "scourge" that is corrupting Montana. "Today, we're not talking about medical marijuana," said House Speaker Mike Milburn, the sponsor of House Bill 161. "We're talking about marijuana. It has gotten so far out of hand. We're talking about a totally uncontrolled epidemic by the drug trade industry. It's starting to undermine the very fabric of our state that we so greatly cherish." [continues 697 words]
On a mostly party-line vote with Republicans in favor, the Montana House voted 63-37 Thursday to repeal the voter-passed 2004 law that legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes, as GOP lawmakers labeled it a "scourge" that is corrupting Montana. "Today, we're not talking about medical marijuana," said House Speaker Mike Milburn, the sponsor of House Bill 161. "We're talking about marijuana. It has gotten so far out of hand. We're talking about a totally uncontrolled epidemic by the drug trade industry. It's starting to undermine the very fabric of our state that we so greatly cherish." [continues 696 words]
HELENA - The medical marijuana debate took an unusual twist Friday as Sen. Dave Lewis unveiled a surprise, rewritten version of his bill that was prepared by the marijuana growers' association and incorporates features of his and an interim committee bill. At a hearing on the Helena Republican's original Senate Bill 154 before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Lewis instead presented the rewritten measure, which he called a "gray bill," that included major changes. Lewis' original bill had been considered one of two major proposals this session - along with HB68 by Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula - that sought to bring the burgeoning medical marijuana industry under greater state licensing and regulation. They were also intended to serve as alternatives to repealing the 2004 voter-passed law legalizing medical marijuana, as a House bill passed Thursday would do. [continues 669 words]
HELENA - With the Legislature nearing its halfway point, three different approaches to addressing Montana's booming medical marijuana are in play, but it's unclear which will ultimately pass. One would repeal the medical marijuana law altogether on July 1. Another would to tighten the law to such an extent that only a fraction of the current 28,300 cardholders could qualify for medical pot in the future. This also would put many caregivers and legal marijuana growers out of business. [continues 897 words]
HELENA - On a mostly party-line vote with Republicans in favor, the Montana House voted 63-37 Thursday to repeal the voter-passed 2004 law that legalized the use of marijuana for medical purposes, as GOP lawmakers labeled it a "scourge" that is corrupting Montana. "Today, we're not talking about medical marijuana," said House Speaker Mike Milburn, the sponsor of House Bill 161. "We're talking about marijuana. It has gotten so far out of hand. We're talking about a totally uncontrolled epidemic by the drug trade industry. It's starting to undermine the very fabric of our state that we so greatly cherish." [continues 697 words]
The medical marijuana debate took an unusual twist Friday as Sen. Dave Lewis unveiled a surprise, rewritten version of his bill that was prepared by the marijuana growers' association and incorporates features of his and an interim committee bill. At a hearing on the Helena Republican's original Senate Bill 154 before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Lewis instead presented the rewritten measure, which he called a "gray bill," that included major changes. Lewis' original bill had been considered one of two major proposals this session -- along with HB68, by Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula -- that sought to bring the burgeoning medical marijuana industry under greater state licensing and regulation. They were also intended to serve as alternatives to repealing the 2004 voter-passed law legalizing medical marijuana, as a House bill passed Thursday would do. [continues 669 words]
With the Legislature nearing its halfway point, three different approaches to addressing Montana's booming medical marijuana are in play, but it's unclear which will ultimately pass. One would repeal the medical marijuana law altogether on July 1. Another would to tighten the law to such a extent that only a fraction of the current 28,300 cardholders could qualify for medical pot in the future. This also would put many caregivers and legal marijuana growers out of business. The third approach is to acknowledge that the medical marijuana industry exists in Montana, crack down on some past abuses and establish for the first time a comprehensive licensing and regulatory system for the industry. [continues 862 words]
HELENA -- With the Legislature nearing its halfway point, three approaches to addressing Montana's booming medical marijuana are in play, but it's unclear which will ultimately pass. One would repeal the medical marijuana law altogether on July 1. Another would to tighten the law to such an extent that only a fraction of the current 28,300 cardholders could qualify for medical pot in the future. This also would put many caregivers and legal marijuana growers out of business. [continues 895 words]
HELENA -- The medical marijuana debate took an unexpected twist Friday as Sen. Dave Lewis unveiled a surprise: a rewritten version of his bill that was prepared by the marijuana growers' association and incorporates features of his and an interim committee's bill. At a hearing on the Helena Republican's original Senate Bill 154 before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Lewis instead presented the rewritten measure, which he called a "gray bill," that included major changes. Lewis' original bill had been considered one of two major proposals this session -- along with HB68, by Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula -- that sought to bring the burgeoning medical marijuana industry under greater state licensing and regulation. They also were intended to serve as alternatives to repealing the 2004 voter-passed law legalizing medical marijuana, as a House bill passed Thursday would do. [continues 666 words]
By a 3-to-1 margin, opponents outnumbered supporters of a bill Wednesday that would repeal Montana's 2004 voter-passed law legalizing the use of medical marijuana in the state. At issue before the House Human Services Committee was House Bill 161, by House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade. The preliminary count of people signed up to speak showed 86 opponents and 28 supporters of the bill. The committee took no immediate action on the vote. Milburn talked about the huge increase in people obtaining medical marijuana cards -- more than 28,000 people now have them -- and what it has done to Montana and its schools, cities and towns with the increased use of marijuana by teens. [continues 695 words]
HELENA - By a 3-to-1 margin, opponents outnumbered supporters of a bill Wednesday that would repeal Montana's 2004 voter-passed law legalizing the use of medical marijuana in the state. At issue before the House Human Services Committee was House Bill 161, by House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade. The preliminary count of people signed up to speak showed 86 opponents and 28 supporters of the bill. The committee took no immediate on the vote. Milburn talked about the huge increase in people obtaining medical marijuana cards - more than 28,000 people now have them - and what it has done to Montana and its schools, cities and towns with the increased use of marijuana by teens. [continues 697 words]
The House Human Services Committee voted 10-5 Friday to repeal Montana's 2004 voter-passed bill legalizing the use of medical marijuana. All of the committee's 10 Republicans voted for House Bill 161, by House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade. All five Democrats opposed it. The bill now heads to the House floor for debate on Tuesday, barring any last-minute scheduling changes. "I am pleased to see the Human Services Committee supports this incredibly important bill, and I look forward to it passing the full House of Representatives next week," Milburn said afterward. [continues 571 words]
HELENA - The House Human Services Committee voted 10-5 Friday to repeal Montana's 2004 voter-passed initiative legalizing the use of medical marijuana. All of the committee's 10 Republicans voted for House Bill 161, by House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade. All five Democrats opposed it. The bill now heads to the House floor for debate on Tuesday, barring any last-minute scheduling changes. "I am pleased to see the Human Services Committee supports this incredibly important bill, and I look forward to it passing the full House of Representatives next week," Milburn said afterward. [continues 571 words]
HELENA - The House Human Services Committee voted 10-5 Friday to repeal Montana's 2004 voter-passed bill legalizing the use of medical marijuana. All of the committee's 10 Republicans voted for House Bill 161, by House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade. All five Democrats opposed it. The bill now heads to the House floor for debate on Tuesday, barring any last-minute scheduling changes. "I am pleased to see the Human Services Committee supports this incredibly important bill, and I look forward to it passing the full House of Representatives next week," Milburn said afterward. [continues 569 words]
HELENA - The House Human Services Committee voted 10-5 Friday to repeal Montana's 2004 voter-passed bill legalizing the use of medical marijuana. All of the committee's 10 Republicans voted for House Bill 161, by House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade. All five Democrats opposed it. The bill now heads to the House floor for debate Tuesday, barring any last-minute scheduling changes. "I am pleased to see the Human Services Committee supports this incredibly important bill, and I look forward to it passing the full House of Representatives next week," Milburn said. [continues 571 words]
HELENA - By a 3-to-1 margin, opponents outnumbered supporters of a bill Wednesday that would repeal Montana's 2004 voter-passed law legalizing the use of medical marijuana in the state. At issue before the House Human Services Committee was House Bill 161, by House Speaker Mike Milburn, R-Cascade. The preliminary count of people signed up to speak showed 86 opponents and 28 supporters of the bill. The committee took no immediate on the vote. Milburn talked about the huge increase in people obtaining medical marijuana cards - more than 28,000 people now have them - and what it has done to Montana and its schools, cities and towns with the increased use of marijuana by teens. [continues 696 words]
HELENA - Leading medical marijuana advocates formed an unusual alliance with law enforcement and local government officials Friday to support a major proposal to license and regulate the booming industry in Montana. In another strange-bedfellows combination, marijuana growers, caregivers and patients opposing the bill were joined by a group of people who want to repeal the 2004 Montana ballot initiative that legalized medical marijuana in the first place. More than 70 people testified for or against House Bill 68, sponsored by Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula, on behalf of an interim committee, during a three-hour hearing Friday afternoon before the House Human Services Committee. The panel took no action on the bill. [continues 799 words]
HELENA - Here are the highlights of an interim legislative committee's major proposal to revise the state's Medical Marijuana Act and create a regulatory structure for the industry. Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula, has introduced the bill on behalf of the Children, Families, Health and Human Services Interim Committee that she chaired. Here are its key provisions, according to a summary by legislative researcher Sue O'Connell: . Creates a state licensing and regulatory structure for medical marijuana businesses. The Revenue Department would be in charge of regulation, while the Department of Public Health and Human Services would continue to register patients qualified to use medical marijuana. [continues 492 words]
Editor's note: This is the fifth part of an ongoing series this month by the Lee Newspapers State Bureau, examining major issues before the 2011 Legislature, which convenes Jan. 3. Key members of the 2011 Legislature are determined to impose new regulations on a medical-marijuana industry that some believe has reeled out of control this past year. Others are calling for outright repeal of the medical-marijuana law enacted by a 2004 ballot measure, which 62 percent of Montanans approved, and one lawmaker wants to put the issue before voters again. [continues 1133 words]
HELENA - Key members of the 2011 Legislature are determined to impose new regulations on a medical marijuana industry that some believe has reeled out of control in the past year. Others are calling for outright repeal of the medical marijuana law enacted by a 2004 ballot measure, which 62 percent of Montanans approved, and one lawmaker wants to put the issue before voters again. One legislator believes it's time to start taxing what he believes is an industry with annual revenues approaching $150 million. [continues 1111 words]
HELENA -- Key members of the 2011 Legislature are determined to impose new regulations on a medical marijuana industry that some believe has reeled out of control the past year. Others are calling for outright repeal of the medical marijuana law enacted by a 2004 ballot measure, which 62 percent of Montanans approved, and one lawmaker wants to put the issue before voters again. One legislator believes it's time to start taxing what he believes is an industry with annual revenues approaching $150 million. [continues 1717 words]
An interim legislative subcommittee tentatively agreed Thursday on some proposals to restrict Montana's fast-growing medical marijuana industry. The Medical Marijuana Subcommittee spent the day informally voting on various proposals that will be incorporated in draft legislation to be considered by the Legislature's Children, Families, Health and Human Services Interim Committee on Aug. 23-24. The 2011 Legislature ultimately will decide on the issue. Afterward, the chairwoman, Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula, said she believed two of the subcommittee's actions were especially significant - -- the call for a new dispensary system and restrictions to prevent physicians being financially involved with medical marijuana caregivers or dispensaries. [continues 715 words]
HELENA - Montana is hardly alone among the states that have legalized medical marijuana and now are struggling with how to regulate a rapidly growing and increasingly contentious industry. The most common regulatory effort, officials say, focuses on those who provide the drug to approved patients. Moves are afoot in Oregon and Colorado to regulate marijuana "dispensaries," which are largely unregulated in Montana. "Since the Obama administration changed federal policy, there's been a real drive in states with medical marijuana laws to actually regulate their industry at a state level, especially the providers of medical marijuana," said Mike Meno, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., a group advocating for lesser state penalties for the medical and non-medical use of marijuana. [continues 904 words]
HELENA - Montana is hardly alone among the states that have legalized medical marijuana and now are struggling over how to regulate a rapidly growing industry. The most common point of regulatory efforts, officials say, is those who provide the drug to approved patients. Moves are afoot in Oregon and Colorado to regulate marijuana "dispensaries," which are largely unregulated in Montana. "Since the Obama administration changed federal policy, there's been a real drive in states with medical marijuana laws to actually regulate their industry at a state level, especially the providers of medical marijuana," said Mike Meno, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., a group advocating for lesser state penalties for the medical and non-medical use of marijuana. [continues 889 words]
Montana is hardly alone among the states that have legalized medical marijuana and now are struggling over how to regulate a rapidly growing industry. The most common point of regulatory efforts, officials say, is those who provide the drug to approved patients. Moves are afoot in Oregon and Colorado to regulate marijuana "dispensaries," which are largely unregulated in Montana. "Since the Obama administration changed federal policy, there's been a real drive in states with medical marijuana laws to actually regulate their industry at a state level, especially the providers of medical marijuana," said Mike Meno, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., a group advocating for lesser state penalties for the medical and nonmedical use of marijuana. [continues 825 words]
Other States Facing Medical Marijuana Explosion HELENA - Montana is hardly alone among the states that have legalized medical marijuana and now are struggling over how to regulate the rapidly growing industry. The most common point of regulatory efforts, officials say, is those who provide the drug to approved patients. Moves are afoot in Oregon and Colorado to regulate marijuana dispensaries, which are largely unregulated in Montana. "Since the Obama administration changed federal policy, there's been a real drive in states with medical marijuana laws to actually regulate their industry at a state level, especially the providers of medical marijuana," said Mike Meno, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., a group advocating for lesser state penalties for the medical and non-medical use of marijuana. [continues 884 words]
To the Editor: I was very disappointed to receive a letter from our congressman, Republican Randy Forbes, recently in which he stated he is unalterably opposed to marijuana legalization for medicinal or recreational use. I was mostly disappointed, because in his letter he was not familiar with drug classification in the United States by the Drug Enforcement Agency. He referred to cocaine/crack as a schedule I narcotic and looped it in with meth, PCP, marijuana, heroin and, as he put it, 100 other schedule I narcotics. [continues 528 words]
I have a suggestion for Social Security and other agencies that give out the assistance checks, welfare checks, whatever they call them now. This is for Asheville, Buncombe County and the United States: Make all the recipients pass a urine test. The people who work to pay the monies into the system so the checks can be paid out usually have to pass urine tests, so why not the people who are living off these checks? I bet the country would save a lot of money. This is no more an invasion of their privacy than it is a violation of the workers privacy to make them take one. The only people who it would really affect would be the ones doing something illegal anyway. Charles Johnson Asheville [end]
Although your newspaper did an excellent job of covering this issue presented in the recent legislative session, one very important piece of legislation (HB113), which failed in the Senate Finance Committee, was not mentioned. Its purpose was to equalize the penalties for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. This bill has been vigorously advocated by state prosecutors for the past two years. Since crack cocaine is primarily trafficked in by blacks, and methamphetamine is primarily used and sold illegally by whites, there is no logical reason why the penalties (sentences) should be disparate. [continues 106 words]
HELENA - None of the six major political party candidates for governor supports legalizing the medical use of marijuana or decriminalizing the possession of marijuana in Montana. Lawrence "Butch" Turk, a registered nurse from Missoula who is a trainer in emergency medical care and political action, asked: "What is your position on legalization of marijuana use for medical purposes and decriminalization of marijuana possession for all Montanans?" The Gazette State Bureau forwarded Turk's question to the four Republican and two Democrats seeking their respective party's nomination in the June 8 primary election. [continues 368 words]
I bristle at the thought of sending substance abusers into the military as a way of easing prison overcrowding ("Military an option to prison," Letters, Oct. 23). These people have chosen to violate the law. Why would we want to reward that conduct? Do we want to teach a substance abuser to use machine guns and explosives? Do we want to burden our military with retraining people who cannot live within the broad guidelines of civilian life? I do agree that offenders could be more beneficial to society by not sitting in cells. Put them to work on road gangs! At a time when military enlistments and re-enlistments are down, we need to provide more support and benefits to attract and retain professional military personnel. Charles E. Johnson Pensacola [end]
HELENA -- With minutes to spare, Republican Melvin " Skip" Hanson of Kalispell filed for the U.S. Senate and Libertarian Mike Fellows of Missoula entered the U.S. House race Thursday, the final day to enter Montana political races this year. It was hectic as usual in the secretary of state's office on the deadline day, with 47 candidates filing for office. Unofficially, a total of 322 candidates tossed their hats in the ring for the statewide and legislative offices this year. [continues 737 words]
Editor's note: This is one of a continuing series in which Montanans can ask candidates for governor about the issues. HELENA - None of the five major political party candidates for governor supports legalizing marijuana, and most are against legalizing marijuana used for medical purposes. However, Democrat Mark O'Keefe said that if the Legislature approved the bill, he would sign a law legalizing marijuana used for medical purposes only, provided that it's prescribed by a doctor, dispensed by a pharmacist and administered in a medical facility. [continues 511 words]
