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]