The state health department has drafted proposed regulations for the medical marijuana industry, setting rules for quality testing, tracking and increasing fees. The Billings Gazette reports the Department of Public Health and Human Services plans a public hearing in Helena on Nov. 30. Agency spokesman Jon Ebelt says the state sought input from Montana providers and researched practices in states that have legalized marijuana use. Under the rules, providers would have to have their products tested for levels of THC along with metals and pesticides. [continues 56 words]
In 1999 while working as a researcher I was badly injured falling down a water fall. After surgery for my dislocated and broken shoulder I awoke to the tremendous burning pain of nerve damage. There was no relief for it. I tried every pain medication they gave me. All those pills did nothing to provide relief. All those pills made me so very ill. I was at the end of my rope. I couldn't live like this, no rest, no sleep. Pain. At the insistent urging of a friend I finally gave in and tried marijuana. I know I am alive today because I gave in and tried marijuana. It provided relief for the nerve pain. It helped me sleep. It saved my life. [continues 84 words]
The new restrictions on medical marijuana going into effect this week will be devastating for patients. I know first-hand because I am a medical marijuana patient and have been for the past 10 years. Medical marijuana allows me to effectively treat my medical condition in a safer way and without the complications associated with the pharmaceuticals I would otherwise need to use. I have an incurable disease, Arnold Chiari Malformation and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. These ailments typically would cause my brain to herniate into my spinal cord. I had my first brain surgery when I was 14 and have undergone multiple brain and spinal procedures that have saved my life but have also caused me severe pain. [continues 494 words]
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it won't hear an appeal challenging a Montana law that limits medical marijuana providers to selling the drug to a maximum of three patients each, dealing a blow to advocates who are attempting to delay enforcement of the law. The nation's high court let stand a Montana Supreme Court ruling that upheld key provisions of a state law passed in 2011 that rolled back much of the 2004 voter-approved initiative legalizing medicinal marijuana. The state Supreme Court ordered those provisions to take effect Aug. 31, more than five years after the Montana Legislature passed the bill. [continues 249 words]
Supreme Court Won't Hear an Appeal Challenging Montana Law That Limits Medical Marijuana Providers to Selling the Drug to Three Patients Each WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court won't hear an appeal challenging a Montana law that limits medical marijuana providers to selling the drug to a maximum of three patients each. The justices on Monday let stand a Montana Supreme Court ruling that upheld key provisions of a state law that rolled back much of the 2004 voter-approved initiative legalizing medicinal marijuana. The Montana Cannabis Industry Association said the rollbacks would force the closure of dispensaries and leave patients without a legal way to obtain the drug. The new restrictions are set to take effect Aug. 31. [end]
Someday you or someone you love may need safe, legal access to medical marijuana. You, or they, may have cancer, epilepsy, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, or Crohn's disease, Parkinson's, breast cancer, a recent heart attack, or may be a veteran or emergency worker with post-traumatic stress disorder. In 2004, 64 percent of Montana voters passed a law creating a medical marijuana program, but access for patients seeking relief will soon disappear because of political nonsense in the 2011 Legislature. With these draconian, nonsensical laws, you and your loved ones aren't going to get what you need for pain, symptom relief or a cure. [continues 661 words]
Someday you or someone you love may need safe, legal access to medical marijuana. You, or they, may have cancer, epilepsy, IBS, colitis, or Crohn's disease, Parkinson's, breast cancer, a recent heart attack, or may be a veteran or emergency worker with PTSD. In 2004, 64 percent of Montana voters passed a law creating a medical marijuana program. But access for patients seeking relief will soon disappear because of political nonsense in the 2011 Legislature. With these draconian, nonsensical laws, you and your loved ones aren't going to get what you need for pain, symptom relief, or a cure. [continues 688 words]
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A Montana State Prison guard has been accused smuggling methamphetamine and marijuana into the prison in exchange for cash. A federal grand jury indicted Martin Reap on conspiracy, drug possession, drug distribution and bribery charges earlier this month. The case against him was unsealed on Thursday. The indictment alleges that Reap conspired with unnamed inmates to smuggle the drugs into the Deer Lodge prison for distribution to other inmates between February 2015 and last month. In return, Reap allegedly received more than $5,000 from others who participated in the drug-smuggling conspiracy. Federal Public Defender Michael Donahoe, Reap's attorney, was traveling and did not immediately return a call or email request for comment. Reap does not have a home phone listing. Montana Department of Corrections officials did not immediately return a call for comment. [end]
Federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Agency raided a Four Corners marijuana business on Wednesday. Agents were going in and out of Montana Buds at 160 Zoot Way for a good portion of the day, and there was crime scene tape strung in front of the business. The Montana Highway Patrol was also blocking Zoot Way between Huffine Lane and Lodgepole Lane. Agents, some wearing shirts emblazoned with "DEA" or "police" and others wearing hazardous materials suits and masks, were seen taking items out of the business and putting them in a U-Haul truck parked nearby. [continues 83 words]
I would like to take this opportunity to discuss a grave injustice that is being done here in Montana. All patients that are receiving opiates in Montana will have the prescription voided and not allowed to have any pain drugs from now on. What would normal working class people do if that really happened? This is happening to people here in Montana that depend upon medical pot and have since the law came about. Thousands of patients are abandoned by the new changes to this law. I'm a disabled Vietnam veteran with severe PTSD who has been taking medical pot two years and for the first time in many years, have been able to sleep. [continues 129 words]
I have recently been authorized to take medical marijuana. I have a neurological condition that has caused me agony for 40 years. This is a hereditary disease, which my mother had and my daughter currently has. Previous to medical marijuana, I had been prescribed OxyContin and oxycodone as needed for breakthrough pain. I was on these two medications for about 10 years. One major problem with OxyContin is that a tolerance can develop to the drug, requiring an ever increasing dosage. [continues 175 words]
With the recent news coverage regarding the Montana State Supreme Court's ruling on marijuana laws and the Montana Standard's editorial staff's response, it seems like the perfect opportunity to provide some clarifying facts about marijuana. Marijuana is not a harmless natural compound. The "medical marijuana" movement is a well-developed strategic plan to dupe the common man into believing that an illicit, illegal drug, with no proven medical benefit, should be used as medicine. The marijuana industry used the "medical" marijuana platform as part of a strategic plan to desensitize the perception of harm and normalize marijuana use. The result of this industry is to accomplish what has happened in Colorado, Washington state and Washington D.C., specifically legalized "recreational" use of marijuana. [continues 524 words]
With the Supreme Court decision upholding a sneak attack on a thriving and needed industry, some pious souls are surely sitting back toasting each other with their drug of choice. Maybe they are even sucking on a cigarette or cigar. Well over 2,000 Montana taxpayers are not so joyous. They are now out looking for jobs our politicians have not been able to create. An even more serious problem is being faced by several thousand individuals who threw away their prescription drugs and found relief from many afflictions using nature's wonder drug. A large percentage of medical marijuana cardholders will have no legal way to obtain the substance that worked on what ailed them. They will be forced to go back to the black market which has existed for decades and will not go away. It is alive and well in Oregon, Washington and Colorado and every other state in the union. The black market price for one pound of marijuana in Butte went from around $2,000 to $5,000 the day after the court decision. Many cardholders are older and on fixed budgets. They will be faced with a decision on where to allocate their funds. And again, money that stayed in Montana because of medical marijuana will flow out to Mexico and other states or to illegal growers who pay no taxes. [continues 112 words]
In response to the Feb. 7 letter, "No to marijuana," even prohibitionist government quit using the historically discredited gateway theory years ago. However, some people continue believing the lies, half-truths and propaganda which has perpetuated cannabis (marijuana) prohibition. Caging innocent responsible adults who use the relatively safe, extremely popular, God-given plant is vulgar and anti-Christian for a developed nation. Further, Coloradans re-legalized cannabis, and every subsequent poll indicates we continue supporting the end of the farce. A sane or moral argument to continue cannabis prohibition doesn't exist. - - Stan White, Dillon, Colo. [end]
There are people who are out gathering signatures to put on a ballot a bill to legalize marijuana for recreational use. I would like to point out one thing about legalizing marijuana for recreation: I believe anyone who has a methamphetamine addiction smoked marijuana first, and smoking marijuana leads to not just meth but all other addictive drugs. I vote "no," and I choose not to sign this ballot bill signature-gathering initiative. I would hope most everyone would choose to do the same as I. I feel it would cause a huge problem. - - Joe Morgan, Helena [end]
Medical marijuana providers are cautiously opening new dispensaries in Missoula and across the state, but the state law allowing such shops remains in question. "A lot of the industry is still in limbo," said Chris Fanuzzi, a medical marijuana provider who opened a new dispensary, Lionheart Caregiving, in Missoula last month. "The only reason that we can come back is that there is still a demand." The number of patients and providers, in fact, continues to increase despite the ongoing court battle over Senate Bill 432, 2011 legislation that restricted Montana's medical marijuana industry. [continues 1235 words]
BILLINGS -- A leading opponent of marijuana legalization delivered a three-hour talk on what he says are myths surrounding the drug in Billings on Tuesday. Kevin Sabet, who directs the Drug Policy Institute at the University of Florida and is co-founder of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, addressed about a dozen educators, prosecutors and law enforcement professionals, mostly from small towns in Eastern Montana. SAM seeks a middle road between incarceration and legalization, according to the group's website. The event was organized by the Eastern Montana Drug Prosecution Coordination Program, a publicly funded law enforcement education program. [continues 497 words]
Sometimes, Montana benefits from waiting and watching other states try new legislation before adopting it ourselves - or opting not to repeat their failures. Legislation requiring people who apply for certain kinds of public assistance to pass a drug test is an excellent case in point. In state after state, it has proven to be costly, unconstitutional and ineffective. It's also, as Montana Women Vote's Sarah Howell described it last week, offensive. Howell was speaking specifically about House Bill 200, which was introduced in the House Human Services Committee of the Montana Legislature last week. Rep. Randy Pinocci, R-Sun River, said thousands of Montanans have asked him to offer this legislation, and that the goal of the requirement is to protect children. [continues 521 words]
It seems our Montana GOP is very focused on stopping any form of legalization of the evil weed. I think I know why, as I have noticed over the years that smoking weed turns Republicans into Democrats. Just a few tokes and Republicans want to cuddle and smooch those wonton wild Democratic ladies. Of course, no truly self-righteous righties would actually marry and have hard-working little capitalists with those less-than-moral babes. I was once a rightie and voted for some fine GOP candidates, but that evil weed turned me into a lowly leftie socialist S.O.B. Don't worry about me though; I'm in remission now on vodka, wine, beer and pizza. E. Campbell, Lolo [end]
HELENA - Marijuana once again will be an issue at the Legislature, with a number of bills anticipated, from possibly decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of pot to banning medical marijuana. "I wanted to do a legalization of marijuana bill, but I don't have the energy," Sen. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, said. Caferro said she's more likely to sponsor legislation to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. Asked why she supports these approaches, Caferro said: "Because our prisons are full of people that don't belong there." [continues 906 words]
U.S. Rep. Steve Daines, R-Mont., met with area officials in Sidney Wednesday to discuss ways to combat crime in the Bakken oilfield. The largest issues, identified by Sidney Chief of Police Frank DiFonzo, were drug crimes and lack of resources. "It takes so much to organize and run a complicated drug investigation that I can't do that with my manpower," DiFonzo said. "We have enough challenges just maintaining the issues on the streets, but we can't ignore it either." [continues 454 words]
In response to Steve Zabawa's effort to make any possession of marijuana illegal, I suggest that he try living with the chronic pain that many users have to deal with. True, when the law was first enacted, people abused it, but that will happen with almost everything due to the current society we live in. As a former card carrier, I dare those who have never suffered from chronic pain to try tying off a part of their body to the point that it hurts, then try living with that pain 24/7/365. That might give people an idea of what it's like to live with chronic pain. [continues 171 words]
HELENA - Montana's medical-marijuana law was back in court Tuesday, as an attorney for the drug's users and the industry argued that restrictive parts of the 2011 rewrite of marijuana rules should be permanently voided. James Goetz, a Bozeman lawyer, said those provisions have been blocked by a court for almost three years, and yet the law is still curbing pre-2011 abuses that the Legislature wanted to address. "We have kind of an experiment, we have actual evidence that certain features of the (law) were not necessary to accomplish its goals," he told District Judge James Reynolds of Helena. "The state's own witnesses have conceded that things are not only better, but much better." [continues 550 words]
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A Billings car-dealership owner has proposed a ballot measure that would completely ban the use and possession of marijuana in Montana, even for medical uses. The proposal by Steve Zabawa would change state law to say any Schedule I drug in the federal Controlled Substances Act "may not be legally possessed, received, transferred, manufactured, cultivated, trafficked, transported or used in Montana." The proposal submitted to the Montana Secretary of State's Office on Thursday aims is to eliminate the disparity between federal and state law in possessing and using marijuana, which is a Schedule I drug, Zabawa said in an email. [continues 276 words]
HELENA - A Billings businessman has proposed an initiative for the November 2014 ballot that effectively would ban the possession, use, cultivation, trafficking and transportation of marijuana in Montana. Steve Zabawa submitted the measure this week to Secretary of State Linda McCulloch's office. If approved, it would change state law to say that any drug listed on Schedule 1 of the Federal Controlled Substances Act "may not be legally possessed, received, transferred, manufactured, cultivated, trafficked, transported or used in Montana." Marijuana is listed on Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act. [continues 469 words]
Christi Turner's April 3 column was right on target (see "Nip it in the bud"). If marijuana were fully legal there would be no backcountry grows on public land. Legitimate farmers would produce it by the ton at a fraction of the current cost. There is a reason you don't see drug cartels sneaking into national forests to cultivate tomatoes and cucumbers. They cannot compete with a legal market. If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to subsidize drug cartels, prohibition is a success. The drug war distorts supply and demand dynamics so that big money grows on little trees. If the goal is to deter use, marijuana prohibition is a failure. The United States has almost double the rate of marijuana use as the Netherlands, where marijuana is legal. [continues 67 words]
Let a Thousand Pot Plants Bloom and End Trespass Grows If you care about protecting clean water, endangered species and public health, then you might want to consider legalizing marijuana for recreational use. That's because so much of the stuff is now being grown illegally on our public lands in places dubbed "trespass grows." These secretive and often well-guarded farms do enormous environmental damage and place a huge burden on federal agencies. In California in 2013, the Forest Service discovered about 1 million plants within public forests on nearly 400 sites. Thousands of trees had been logged to make way for marijuana plants. [continues 742 words]
Behind the Scenes of the State's First Open Needle Exchange On a recent afternoon, a dark-haired woman picks out several syringes from a selection of injection drug paraphernalia setup in a downtown Missoula hallway. The state's first aboveground needle exchange includes everything from tourniquets to antiseptic wipes to tins known as "cookers." At first glance, the woman doesn't look like anyone portrayed in the Montana Meth Project's jolting "Not Even Once" anti-drug ad campaign. She's not emaciated. Her clothes aren't dirty. She says she takes care of herself, eating and sleeping regularly. [continues 796 words]
Commendable, refreshing for Obama to acknowledge marijuana propaganda is wrong I strongly disagree with Cherrie Brady, Laura Lee Needham and Susan Smith of Safe Community Safe Kids' (guest column, "Public deserves apology from Obama on marijuana," Feb. 5) disappointing and irresponsible viewpoint of President Obama. It's commendable to keep cannabis (marijuana) away from children, however, using lies, half-truths and propaganda along with caging responsible adults who use the plant, is the wrong way to do it. Citizens are waking up from decades of discredited prohibitionist government-subsidized propaganda, and it's commendable and refreshing that President Obama is acknowledging that fact. Stan White, Dillon, Colo. [end]
There is a magic pill that cures addiction. It is used in other countries and used to be legal here. You take one pill, one time, and without going through the painful detox symptoms one normally experiences you emerge a clean, non-addict. The success rate in the few studies that have been done show more than 85 percent of patients still clean after five years. It works for all types of addiction because the addiction is almost never to the drug itself but to the escape it offers from other problems. However, much like MDMA and PTSD, simply because others use a drug for fun means genuine patients in need must be denied. [continues 166 words]
The folks at Safe Community Safe Kids had it backward in their column, "Public deserves apology from Obama on marijuana" (Feb. 5). The public should be thanking the president for finally telling the truth about marijuana. In a recently published interview, the president acknowledged that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol in terms of its affect on the consumer. Comprehensive studies performed by the World Health Organization (Hall, Wayne, "A Comparative Appraisal of the Health and Psychological Consequences of Alcohol, Cannabis, Nicotine, and Opiate Use," University of New South Wales: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 1995) and the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine ("Institute of Medicine, Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base," Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, 1999) have arrived at the same conclusion. Marijuana is less toxic than alcohol, less addictive, and less likely to contribute to serious health problems. It also does not contribute to violent and reckless behavior, which all too often accompanies drinking. [continues 147 words]
President's full statement on marijuana sent message kids might listen to I read with interest "Public deserves apology from Obama on marijuana" (guest column, Feb. 5) and wonder why the President's entire statement regarding marijuana is not included in this piece? He is quoted out of context. President Obama went on to clarify his marijuana-less-dangerous-than-pot position by stating "in terms of its impact on the individual consumer. It1s not something I encourage, and I've told my daughters I think it1s a bad idea, a waste of time, not very healthy." Now that's a message our kids might believe. Peter Christopher, Locust, N.J. [end]
Safe Community Safe Kids aren't doing Montana children any favors with their reefer madness revival campaign (guest column, Feb. 5). Zero tolerance poses a greater threat to youth than marijuana. Most people outgrow their youthful indiscretions involving marijuana. An arrest and criminal record, on the other hand, can be life-shattering. There is a big difference between condoning marijuana use and protecting children from drugs. Decriminalization acknowledges the social reality of marijuana and frees users from the stigma of life-shattering criminal records. What's really needed is a regulated market with age controls. [continues 78 words]
Re: "Public deserves apology from Obama on marijuana" (guest column, Feb. 5). I'd like to add that the cannabis legalization issue is not whether cannabis is completely safe for everybody, including children and adolescents; it is not. The issue is freedom of choice for adults. Children have died from eating peanuts and peanut butter but we don't cage peanut growers, sellers or consumers. And the voters of Colorado and Washington state have decided that we should not cage cannabis growers, sellers or consumers. Montana adults have the freedom of choice of whether or not to consume legal alcohol. Shouldn't they have the same freedom of choice regarding legal cannabis? Kirk Muse, Mesa, Ariz. [end]
Safe Community Safe Kids was formed by a group of parents out of concern for the unbridled spread of medical marijuana in Montana and its effect on our children, families and community. With the help from parents and others across the state, we were instrumental in passing legislation on this issue. In 2011, the Montana Legislature passed a bill to repeal the 2004 voters' initiative on medical marijuana. When Gov. Brian Schweitzer vetoed this repeal bill, the Legislature unanimously passed another bill, Senate Bill 423. The governor refused to sign or veto this bill and because of his inaction the bill automatically became law. [continues 371 words]
On a recent weekday afternoon, Tayln Lang greets a visitor to Rocky Mountain Cannabis on Orange Street with a wide smile. The longtime medical marijuana advocate launches into an animated explanation of the drug's ability to ease symptoms that stem from a range of ailments, including HIV, cancer and opiate addiction. "I've seen wonderful, wonderful things happen," he says. It's in part because Lang believes so vehemently in cannabis' healing properties and the importance of providing it to the people most in need that he's taken on the high-profile, yet potentially dangerous, role of managing Rocky Mountain's prominent storefront location. [continues 330 words]
The law creating a limit for just how stoned a driver can be in Montana went into effect Oct. 1. Debate over the veracity of the new limit, however, continues. The new statute says that if a driver is suspected of being under the influence of marijuana while operating a motor vehicle, a blood test may be requested to determine intoxication. If the blood test reveals a THC content of 5 ng/ml or higher in the driver's blood stream, the driver may be charged with a DUI, resulting in a possible license suspension, up to six months imprisonment and a fine of up to $1,000. [continues 291 words]
U.S. Says It Won't Intervene in States Where Drug Is Legal HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Medical marijuana businesses worried that federal agents will close them down now have a roadmap to avoid prosecution, courtesy of the Justice Department's decision to allow legal pot in Colorado and Washington state. The agency last week said that even though the drug remains illegal under federal law, it won't intervene to block state pot laws or prosecute as long as states create strict and effective controls that follow eight conditions. [continues 664 words]
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Medical marijuana businesses worried that federal agents will close them down now have a roadmap to avoid prosecution, courtesy of the Justice Department's decision to allow legal pot in Colorado and Washington state. The agency said last week that even though the drug remains illegal under federal law, it won't intervene to block state pot laws or prosecute as long as states create strict and effective controls that follow eight conditions. "The DOJ is saying you guys need to color inside the lines," said Teri Robnett, founder of the Cannabis Patients Action Network, a Westminster, Colo.- based medical marijuana advocacy group. [continues 230 words]
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Medical marijuana businesses worried that federal agents will close them down now have a roadmap to avoid prosecution, courtesy of the Justice Department's decision to allow legal pot in Colorado and Washington state. The agency said last week that even though the drug remains illegal under federal law, it won't intervene to block state pot laws or prosecute as long as states create strict and effective controls that follow eight conditions. "The DOJ is saying you guys need to color inside the lines," said Teri Robnett, founder of the Cannabis Patients Action Network, a Westminster, Colo.-based medical marijuana advocacy group. "If you color inside the lines, we'll let you keep your crayons. [continues 506 words]
(AP) - A new federal marijuana policy doesn't undermine a recently completed three-year crackdown on large Montana providers by the U.S. attorney's office, and authorities will still be able to prosecute future cases, U.S. Attorney Mike Cotter said Friday. The Justice Department said Thursday it will allow states to regulate marijuana as long as they enforce strict laws to keep it away from children, the black market and federal property. Marijuana remains an illegal drug under the federal Controlled Substances Act, but Washington and Colorado, which have legalized its recreational use, will be allowed to establish their own regulations in producing, possessing and taxing the drug, the federal agency said. [continues 438 words]
I don't know if Jason Washington was targeted for his participation in distributing and manufacturing medical marijuana (Missoulian, Aug. 7), but he was abandoned and scapegoated, if not defrauded, by the state of Montana. Washington says his business decision was based on opportunity and protection provided by state law. Most revealing was his reaction to his conviction: "When I needed help, Montana didn't stand up for me not the city, not the state, and not the citizens who sat on the jury." [continues 177 words]
The medical marijuana businessman who was convicted last spring on federal charges of distributing and manufacturing marijuana says he was unfairly targeted because of his status as a former University of Montana football player and a successful African-American entrepreneur. Jason Washington broke his post-trial media silence Tuesday in a phone interview with the Missoulian from a private prison in Shelby. "It's been a blatant, mean, ugly attack," he said. His medical marijuana business, Big Sky Medical Marijuana Dispensary, was one of the largest operations in the state, which also made it appealing to federal investigators, he said. [continues 629 words]
Cannabis Destiny Localizes the Drug War There may be more than a few documentaries floating around that are critical of the war on drugs in this country, but only a couple that feature scenic shots of Missoula and stories of Montanans. One is Rebecca Richman Cohen's 2012 Code of the West. The other is Kevin Booth's newest film, American Drug War 2: Cannabis Destiny. (The first, American Drug War: The Last White Hope originally aired on Showtime in 2007 and seems to take a more inclusive view.) American Drug War 2 focuses on marijuana: How it's distributed, the changing face of prohibition and conflicts between state and federal laws in this new era of state-by-state legalization practices. [continues 602 words]
I recently spent an hour visiting several Websites. I was seeking figures relating to death rates in the United States from several causes. I learned the following: Tobacco use in this country kills 443,000 Americans per year. (Close to one every minute.) Alcohol kills 85,000 Americans. (More than 10 per hour.) Guns take 32,000 American lives. (Eighty-eight people every day.) What about deaths from marijuana? The annual total is zero. None. Let's place these numbers into a state-oriented perspective. We can say that guns, tobacco and alcohol destroy the equivalent of Montana's entire population every 21 months or so. Marijuana kills not one single Montanan. Isn't it remarkable that only one of the foregoing elements is illegal in most states, including Montana? John Russell, Missoula [end]
As Americans obsess over NSA spying, abuse by the IRS and other assaults on our freedom, I can't get my mind off the thousand other ways politicians abuse us. In their arrogance, they assume that only they solve social problems. They will solve them by banning this and that, subsidizing groups they deem worthy and setting up massive bureaucracies with a mandate to cure, treat and rescue wayward souls. Their programs fail, and so they pass new laws to address the failures. It's one reason that 22 million people now work for government. [continues 640 words]
The opinions expressed by Pat Prendergast ("Pot more dangerous than you know,"June 16) are his own - literally. According to a nationwide poll telephone poll commissioned this month by Fox News, 85 percent of Americans say that marijuana should be legal if its use is permitted by a physician. The total is the highest level of public support for the issue ever reported in a scientific poll. To date, 18 states and the District of Columbia allow for the legal consumption of cannabis therapeutically. Lawmakers in Illinois just approved similar legislation. New Hampshire lawmakers are poised to do the same in the coming days. In recent weeks, lawmakers in Maine, Nevada, and Oregon have enacted legislation expanding their existing medical marijuana programs. [continues 184 words]
With the recent article published on May 12, 2013, "Mont. goes its own way on pot," it seems like the perfect opportunity to provide some clarifying facts about marijuana. There is no scientific basis for using smoked marijuana as a medicine, no sound scientific studies supporting the medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supporting the safety or effectiveness of marijuana for general medical use. The Food and Drug Administration ruled that smoked marijuana does not meet the modern standards of medicine in the United States. Marijuana is NOT approved nor endorsed by the FDA, the American Medical Association, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the American Glaucoma Society, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Cancer Society or the American Pediatric Society. The National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine has concluded that smoked marijuana should "not be recommended for medical use." [continues 551 words]
CORVALLIS -- David Merrick wants to be noticed. As Ravalli County's Libertarian Party chairman, he has a message about property rights that he wants to share. Merrick believes that people in this country have a right to do with what they wish with their own body, as long as no one else is getting hurt. In his mind, it's the essence of a constitutional protection of personal property rights. "If you don't have that property right to your own body, how can you expect to use real estate property rights or any others?" he said. [continues 786 words]
Inside Montana
