While Montanans have been fiercely debating medical marijuana, another kind of marijuana has become a national trend.

Nearly one in nine U.S. high school seniors has used "synthetic marijuana," according to a 2011 survey conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. It was the first time the annual survey asked about synthetic marijuana, also known as K2 or Spice. Until recently, these chemical concoctions designed to mimic the effects of marijuana were available in some Montana convenience stores. The NIDA survey found that 11.4 percent of students surveyed reported using Spice within the past year.

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To The Editor:

In regard to the petition to legalize marijuana. Well, here we go down the wrong road again. We legalized alcohol finally, and what happened? It was supposed to be in moderation and for social purposes. It really had no medicinal purpose that I know of other than a form of sterilization of a wound possibly. But, our government saw it was a way that it might as well collect tax on rather than let it continue to run out of control as something it couldn't stop.

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Re: Jan. 24 story by Associated Press reporter Matt Volz

What trumps federal law is the federal Constitution.

I claim the federal classification of marijuana as a controlled substance is arbitrary and violates due process of law. Marijuana does not meet all three criteria to be a controlled substance; potential for abuse, medicinal use and safety of use. Federal laws says safety of use determines medicinal use. Marijuana is safe to use without medical supervision. Marijuana is not dangerous or life-threatening.

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I am extremely confused with some recent events and highly reported stories here in our state that make absolutely no sense and seem to contradict each other.

First we have Judge Donald Molloy saying federal law trumps Montana's medical marijuana law. Molloy wrote in his order that providers can be prosecuted under the federal Controlled Substances Act even if they are following state law.

Now without getting into state's rights vs. feds here, I understand his order even if I totally disagree with it. What I seem to be hearing is that we have to follow federal law no matter what the citizens of this state vote into law.

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A federal judge in Missoula ruled Jan. 20 that federal drug laws trump Montana's medical marijuana law.

U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy dismissed a civil lawsuit brought by 14 individuals and businesses who were among the two dozen medical marijuana providers raided by federal agents in March last year.

The plaintiffs claimed the raids had violated their constitutional rights, citing the 2004 citizens initiative that led to Montana's Medical Marijuana Act.

Molloy, however, ruled that the plaintiffs could be prosecuted under the federal Controlled Substances Act. He cited a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that applied the U.S. Constitution's supremacy clause to medical marijuana cases.

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Diane Sands is used to having her name taken in vain.

That's just part of being a liberal from Missoula in the Montana Legislature.

But her name surfaced recently in a way that offended and troubled her at a profound level.

A possible witness in a federal drug investigation was asked whether Sands might be part of a conspiracy to sell medical marijuana. The questions came from Drug Enforcement Administration agents from Billings who were investigating medical marijuana businesses, and Sands learned about the inquiry from the witness' attorney.

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With all the uncertainty surrounding state and federal medical marijuana laws, the Hamilton City Council is considering a temporary ban of new medical marijuana shops within the city limits.

At the council's Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday night, council members instructed city attorney Karen Mahar to draft an interim zoning ordinance that would prohibit the city from issuing business licenses to new marijuana dispensaries for six months.

At Tuesday's meeting, Mahar brought the committee a draft ordinance she and special projects manager Dennis Stranger have worked on since late September.

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Want to solve our economic woes? Legalize drugs and tax them. Want to stop killings and drive-by shootings? Legalize drugs and tax them. Want to see a reduction in gangs? Legalize drugs and tax them. Want to unplug our court system? Legalize drugs and tax them. Want to reduce our prison budgets? Legalize drugs and tax them. Want to prevent Mexico from civil war? Legalize drugs and tax them. Want to stop wasting money on a defunct DEA? Legalize drugs and tax them.

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HELENA - A judge has ruled that Montana's medical marijuana law doesn't shield providers of the drug from federal prosecution, delivering a new blow to an industry reeling from a state and federal crackdown.

U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy on Friday dismissed a civil lawsuit filed by 14 individuals and businesses that were among more than two dozen medical marijuana providers raided by federal agents last year across Montana.

The providers claimed the raids violated their constitutional rights in part because state law passed by voter initiative in 2004 allows them to grow and produce the drug for medical consumption.

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As Richard and Justin Flor prepare to enter guilty pleas Tuesday to an unknown number of charges against them surrounding the family's medical marijuana business, new court documents explained how the case was investigated.

The Flor family was involved in one of the state's largest medical marijuana operations.

In an "offer of proof" filed late last week by the U.S. Attorney's office, it appears that Justin Flor will plead guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana. The document doesn't mention any of the other 14 charges filed against him, nor does it mention charges filed against his father, Richard Flor or his plea agreement. However, Richard Flor's attorney, Brad Arndorfer, has requested a change-of-plea hearing too.

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One of the fastest-growing segments of Missoula's business community did an abrupt about-face in 2011.

The city now has significantly fewer medical marijuana businesses than it did at the beginning of the year, 38 compared to 63, according to the city of Missoula's Business Licensing Office.

State Sen. Jeff Essmann, R-Billings, who successfully sponsored a law to restrict such businesses, said he'd love to take credit for the change in landscape.

But, he said, "I think it's largely due to federal law enforcement."

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States like Montana that have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana have seen a decrease in traffic fatalities and a reduction in beer sales, a new study has found.

A report authored by a D. Mark Anderson, a Montana State University economics professor, and Daniel Rees, a professor at the University of Colorado Denver, discovered a 9 percent decrease in traffic fatalities in states that passed laws legalizing medical marijuana. The study points to marijuana as a substitute drug for alcohol.

So far, 16 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana. Surveys show that residents in these states are reporting consuming less alcohol and retailers are reporting a 5 percent reduction in alcohol sales.

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The Ravalli County Attorney's Office is pressing charges against the owners of a Stevensville marijuana operation that was raided in July.

Deputy County Attorney Ryan Weldon has filed four felony charges against the partners who ran Banana Belt Caregivers just east of the Stevensville Wye. The partners are being summoned to justice court to answer the charges on Jan. 13.

Thomas Fenton Patterson, Kelly Robin Goosey, Tony Stuart Smith and Edward Leonard Smartt are all charged with drug production, distribution, possession with intent to distribute, and possession of property subject to forfeiture based upon evidence seized in a July 20 raid conducted by Ravalli County sheriff's deputies.

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One of two men suing for clarification of Montana law on caregiver-to-caregiver medical marijuana transfers was sentenced Thursday in Flathead District Court.

Lief Erickson, 48, Kalispell, was given a four-year suspended sentence as part of a plea agreement on a charge of criminal possession of drugs with intent to distribute.

District Judge David Ortley ruled that Erickson is allowed to possess and use medical marijuana under the rules set forth in state law.

Erickson and fellow caregiver Robin Ruiz were arrested Feb. 3 after police pulled them over on U.S. 2 near Lake Five Road and found three pounds of bulk-bagged marijuana, 300 Tetrahydrocannabinol pills and 11 ounces of THC honey. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana.

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Butte school trustees were uncomfortable Monday changing district policy to allow art, chemistry or welding teachers to be subject to drug testing similar to that required of bus drivers.

The board tabled a proposal that would have added any employee working in a hazardous environment to be subject to drug testing. Trustees heard a complaint from Mike Kujawa, a Butte High art teacher and president of the Butte Teachers' Union, that the rule would have segregated some teachers for extra scrutiny.

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BUTTE -- Butte school trustees were uncomfortable on Monday with changing district policy to allow art, chemistry or welding teachers to be subject to drug testing similar to that required of bus drivers.

The board tabled a proposal that would have added any employee working in a hazardous environment to be subject to drug testing. Trustees heard a complaint from Mike Kujawa, a Butte High art teacher and president of the Butte Teachers' Union, that the rule would have segregated some teachers for extra scrutiny.

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Criminalizing marijuana because it has no medicinal use is unreasonable and unnecessary government regulation of my fundamental rights to privacy, to liberty and to property secured from unreasonable laws by the Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.

Why is it that the marijuana laws are not recognized by the judiciary as a fundamental rights issue?

Judicial review of the marijuana laws by rational review is deprivation of rights under the color of law.

Michael Dee

Windham, Maine

[end]

HELENA - Jason Christ, the Missoula businessman who signed up thousands of Montanans for medical marijuana cards through "cannabis caravans," has filed a lawsuit challenging the 2011 state law that makes it harder to get medical pot.

Christ, who owns the Montana Caregivers Network, sued the state last week in state District Court in Missoula. Acting as his own attorney, Christ asked District Judge Ed McLean to strike the law as unconstitutional on several grounds and prevent the state from enforcing it.

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Three men who openly operated medical marijuana businesses in Helena and Great Falls were sentenced in federal court Thursday to a year in prison.

In an emotionally charged hearing, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Charles Lovell handed down the prison terms to Joshua Schultz, Jesse Leland and Jason Burns. About 75 friends and family members who packed into the federal courthouse in Helena were hoping the judge would take the recommendation of probation made by the men's attorneys, but also feared that the judge might impose a mandatory minimum sentence of five years or even the maximum of 40 years.

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Officials: Delaine Fitzpatrick Had 12 Pounds of Marijuana in Car Trunk

A Havre woman who was cleared on charges stemming from her medical marijuana business in August has been arrested for allegedly possessing 12 pounds of marijuana in Oregon.

Delaine M. Fitzpatrick, 34, and Garrett J. Briere, 47, were arrested on U. S. Interstate 5 near Roseburg, Ore., Nov. 9.

According to an Oregon Department of State Police document, officers found 12 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of the white 2002 Chevrolet Malibu that Briere was driving and Fitzpatrick was riding in.

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A federal defense attorney in Helena is saying that his client should be immune from federal prosecution in a medical marijuana case and was deprived of his due process rights because of selective prosecution by the government.

Michael Donahoe, a senior litigator with the Federal Defenders of Montana, acknowledges that his client, Joshua Schultz of Helena, pleaded guilty in September to distribution of marijuana, in exchange for 24 other counts being dropped. Schultz, 38, as well as his codefendants, Jason Burns and Jesse Leland, all of whom accepted plea bargains in the case, still face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and could be sentenced to 40 years, a $2 million fine and at least four years supervised release under federal sentencing laws.

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HELENA - Jason Christ, the Missoula businessman who signed up thousands of Montanans for medical marijuana cards through "cannabis caravans," has filed a lawsuit challenging the 2011 state law that makes it harder to get medical pot.

Christ, who owns the Montana Caregivers Network, sued the state last week in state District Court in Missoula. Acting as his own attorney, Christ asked District Judge Ed McLean to strike the law as unconstitutional on several grounds and prevent the state from enforcing it.

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HELENA - Federal law enforcement officials on Tuesday and Wednesday executed 12 criminal search warrants and four civil seizure warrants on medical marijuana operations in four Montana towns.

According to U.S. Attorney Michael Cotter's office, the crackdown was the culmination of a 12-month multi-agency investigation into what authorities say were criminal drug trafficking activities in Kalispell, Missoula, Somers and Whitefish.

The four civil seizure warrants executed at financial institutions in Missoula seek an unspecified amount of money, according to a news release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office on Wednesday afternoon.

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It wasn't clear at the time, but when the federal government abruptly steamrolled dozens of medical marijuana providers in Montana last March - the cultural equivalent of more than 900 simultaneous raids in California - it marked the start of a radical national reversal in President Barack Obama's administration's policy.

It was Obama himself, as a candidate in 2008, who promised to stop caring about legal medical marijuana operators in states like Montana. And it was Obama's Justice Department that, in 2009, told U.S. Attorneys to focus on other issues and to leave alone those marijuana patients and providers who performed in "clear and unambiguous compliance" with their states' laws.

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Edwin Stickney's guest opinion is ill-informed on both the law and the scientific facts regarding so-called "medical" marijuana. Stickney accuses the president of "reneging" on his pledge to support marijuana - - but in reality the so-called "Ogden" memo was never the green light marijuana legalization advocates hoped for from the administration.

The memo specifically acknowledges that federal law renders marijuana - - for any use - illegal, regardless of state laws. The memo further goes out of its way to say that marijuana is a Schedule I drug with no accepted medical use by the Food and Drug Administration and that resources would continue to be used in the most efficient way possible (that is, those profiting off of the vulnerable would be targeted over the truly sick).

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The Obama administration has been a disappointment in some ways, but by far the worst of its actions concern medical marijuana. What the federal government is doing now is nothing short of cruel and unfair, not to mention a gross waste of taxpayer dollars. It began with aggressive raids last March on legal Montana producers and providers who had been working to help worthy patients, and now has escalated to become a national scandal.

As a physician, I have issued more than 400 recommendations to patients who have benefited greatly from the use of medical marijuana. It seems to me that we are seeing the fruits either of colossal ineptitude on the part of Obama's appointees or, much worse, an unconscionable double-cross that essentially amounts to deliberate entrapment by the government of good, law-abiding citizens.

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HELENA, Mont. - Robbie Regennitter is a registered medical-marijuana patient

Regennitter says he ingests approximately 10-20 milligrams of THC -- the active compound in marijuana -- each night before bed to ease the painful symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease and an esophagus condition.

Regennitter is also a hunter and gun owner. According to a new memo from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, it is illegal for him or any registered medical-marijuana patient to own or possess firearms or ammunition.

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HELENA - A gun group and medical marijuana advocates expressed outrage Tuesday over a new federal policy clarifying that it is illegal for medical marijuana cardholders to buy firearms and ammunition and for dealers to sell these products to them.

Gary Marbut, president of the Montana Shooting Sports Association, and Kate Cholewa and Chris Lindsey, board members of Montana Cannabis Industry Association, separately blasted the Sept. 21 letter sent by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives of the U.S. Justice Department to federally licensed firearms dealers.

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HELENA -- Law enforcement officials and a criminal defense attorney said at a conference Tuesday that they find the Montana medical marijuana law ambiguous and leaving a lot open to legal interpretation because of conflicting federal law.

Conference moderator Lee Banville, a University of Montana professor, asked the panelists if law enforcement had the tools "that help you sort of navigate this water between the complicated space between a federally illegal product and a state-sanctioned system."

Blue Corneliusen, a deputy Cascade County sheriff and president of the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, said law authorities have tried to figure out how to take Montana voters' mandate to legalize medical marijuana in 2004 and "put it in the scope of still fighting crime."

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HELENA -- For medical marijuana to become more accepted by lawmakers, law enforcement, the medical community and the public, the industry needs to be based on based on tight controls, good record keeping and consistent quality, according to a licensed provider in New Jersey.

The industry also needs to keep good records and do in-depth research about the effectiveness of marijuana as a medicine, said Webster "Dan" Todd, chairman of the board of Compassionate Sciences, one of the six licensed medical marijuana providers in New Jersey.

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HELENA - The number of medical marijuana cardholders continues to drop under a strict new state law, but an industry official said many ex-patients are turning instead to the illegal black market, a legislative committee heard Monday.

As of Aug. 31, Montana had about 25,500 medical marijuana cardholders, down nearly 16 percent from the 31,500 registered last May 31, according to a report presented to the Children, Families, Health and Human Services Interim Committee.

The number of providers who sell medical marijuana to patients has plummeted by a far faster clip, from 4,650 on May 31 to just 285 on Aug. 31, or nearly 94 percent. Providers were known as caregivers under the previous law.

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Panelists Monday night for different reasons criticized the federal government for its handling of the medical marijuana issue.

Former U.S. Attorney William Mercer of Billings, and state Reps. Gary MacLaren, R-Victor, and Diane Sands, D-Missoula, discussed the tensions of changing federal policy on medical marijuana and its effect on Montana. Voters here, by a wide margin, had approved an initiative in 2004 to legalize the use of marijuana for certain medical reasons.

The panel discussion kicked off the conference, sponsored by the Burton K. Wheeler Center, on medical marijuana in Montana. It continues today at the Red Lion Colonial Hotel.

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The number of medical marijuana cardholders continues to drop under a stricter, new state law, but an industry official said many ex-patients are turning instead to the illegal black market, a legislative committee heard Monday.

As of Aug. 31, Montana had about 25,500 medical marijuana cardholders, down nearly 16 percent from the 31,500 registered as of May 31, according to a report presented to the Children, Families, Health and Human Services Interim Committee.

What's more, the number of providers who sell medical marijuana to patients has plummeted by a far faster clip, from 4,650 on May 31 to 285 on Aug. 31, or nearly 94 percent. Providers were known as caregivers under the previous law.

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HELENA -- Panelists Monday night for different reasons criticized the federal government for its handling of the medical marijuana issue.

Former U.S. Attorney William Mercer of Billings, and state Reps. Gary MacLaren, R-Victor, and Diane Sands, D-Missoula, discussed the tensions of changing federal policy on medical marijuana and how its effect on Montana. Voters by a wide margin had approved an initiative in 2004 to legalize the use of marijuana for certain medical reasons.

The panel discussion kicked off the conference, sponsored by the Burton K. Wheeler Center, on medical marijuana in Montana, It continues Tuesday at the Red Lion Colonial Inn.

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There's good news and bad news for the state's medical marijuana patients and providers. The good news is that petitioners have gathered more than 30,000 signatures to place a referendum of Senate Bill 423--the Montana Legislature's measure severely restricting the medical marijuana industry--on the ballot in November 2012. That's more than the required 24,337 signatures due by Sept. 30, though county election offices haven't verified all of them.

The bad news is that petitioners have all but given up on the effort to have SB 423 suspended until voters weigh in. That requires as many as 43,247 signatures, and they must come from at least 15 percent of voters in each of at least 51 of the legislative representative districts, meaning a number of the 30,000 signatures already collected likely wouldn't count toward the total.

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The divisive medical marijuana issue is set for a discussion Monday night and Tuesday at a conference in Helena sponsored by the Burton K. Wheeler Center.

The conference, "Medical Marijuana: Thoughtful Questions, Responsible Answers," will be held at the Red Lion Colonial Hotel. The registration deadline is at 5 p.m. today for a $35 fee that covers a breakfast, lunch and materials. People may register at http://www.wheelercenter.org/#conferences_events .

So far, about 70 people have signed up.

"What the Wheeler Center hopes always to do is choose an issue that is of critical importance to the state of Montana," said Julie Hitchcock, its associate director. "And we certainly have that in medical marijuana. It most assuredly will be before the Legislature in 2013 and quite possibly before the electorate next fall."

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When the federal government wanted to make Montanans carry federal IDs, Gov. Schweitzer stepped up and said, "No way." We won't be able to count on Steve Bullock to do the same and stand up for the citizens when the federal government oversteps its bounds. He's been Mr. No Comment when it comes to the fact that federal agents came over our borders and raided medical marijuana businesses.

If those businesses were breaking state laws, why didn't Bullock's office deal with it? Once the feds step in, we'll never know if Montana law-abiding citizens are being locked up by the federal government. Bullock is no Schweitzer.

Erin Bell

Belgrade

[end]

A group of folks gathered around a grill at the East Gallatin Recreation Area early Saturday afternoon, hanging out and exercising the principles of democracy.

Around 65 people showed up to sign a petition for Initiative Referendum 124 and support Patients for Reform Not Repeal, the group pushing to let Montana voters decide in November 2012 if they want to keep the medicinal marijuana law passed early this summer.

Several petition sheets were filled out over the course of the three-hour event, said Whitney Buckman, volunteer and harvesting consultant with Redtop Organics Industries.

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Voters voted in access to medical marijuana. The Legislature repealed it with the law they passed. The courts declared that the law likely has unconstitutional provisions.

Steve Bullock's office is fighting the court decision and supporting the end to access to medical marijuana. He's defending unconstitutional provisions of a law passed by a Legislature with one of the lowest approval ratings ever. Yeah, I want this guy for governor.

Misty Carey

Bozeman

[end]

When a person suffers from a mental illness and has problems with mood-altering substances - drugs such as prescription medications, cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, marijuana, etc. and alcohol - we call this "dual diagnosis."

Professionals often call this substance abuse or substance dependency, depending on specific criteria. Mental illnesses that often occur with substance abuse are mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders such as panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia and personality disorders.

The American Medical Association notes that "roughly 50 percent of individuals with severe mental disorders are affected by substance abuse" and "37 percent of alcohol abusers and 53 percent of drug abusers also have at least one serious mental illness."

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Montanans Confront a Dubious Weapon in the War on Drugs

On the morning of March 14, Chris Williams set out on foot with his two dogs for the 2.5-mile walk to his East Helena-based medical marijuana business, Montana Cannabis. After a long winter, the weather was finally warmer. The hound and the pit bull nipped at one another and pulled on their leather leashes. Pigeons cooed from a trestle above him.

Williams's mellow mood turned to curiosity when he saw a sheriff's car leading a line of unmarked cars down Euclid Avenue. "I thought, 'Oh well, maybe it's a funeral," he recalls. When several more cars joined the caravan, Williams saw that their business looked more urgent. "Then it registered with me, when my employee comes driving back the other way on the road: 'Oh shit, they probably just raided us.'...My worst worry was that they hurt someone."

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HELENA- A Billings woman has proposed changing the Montana Constitution so that voters would have to approve any attempts by the Legislature to amend or repeal a ballot measure previously enacted by Montanans.

Michelle Hutsell, part of a group known as the Montana Coalition for Rights, last week submitted a proposed constitutional initiative to Secretary of State Linda McCulloch. That in turn triggers a review of the proposed ballot language by several state agencies before backers of the measure can begin gathering signatures.

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A Miles City family of medical marijuana growers pleaded not guilty Wednesday to updated federal charges stemming from coordinated raids on marijuana businesses around the state last spring.

Richard Flor, 67, his wife Sherry Flor, 54, and their son Justin Flor, were arraigned via video in U.S. District Court in Missoula on 12 charges ranging from conspiracy, the manufacture and distribution of marijuana, money laundering and firearms violations.

The Flors are accused of growing marijuana in their home as well as in Helena and Three Forks, and conspiring to distribute it around the state, including in Missoula, according to charging documents.

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The fallout from a coordinated series of federal raids on medical marijuana businesses around Montana continued Tuesday, with a Kalispell man pleading guilty to a federal charge in connection with the sweeps.

Tyler Roe, 29, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Missoula to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana. As part of a plea agreement, charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana were dropped.

Roe was among four Flathead County men charged after federal agents executed 26 search warrants across Montana on March 12, the same day as a legislative hearing on whether to repeal or tighten Montana's medical marijuana law.

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Confessions of a Pothead

Stale smoke hangs forever in the air at Jack's apartment. There's a giant Bob Marley poster and two bookcases filled with boy-movie DVDs. The furniture is obscenely comfortable, especially the huge, shapeless chair they call "the poof." The TV is always on. Jack--not his real name--and his roommate love old, terrible movies. They own every episode of "Mystery Science Theatre 3000," from Joel, to Mike, to when Pearl took over as villain and the show left Comedy Central.

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A Lincoln woman on probation is asking a judge to consider letting her continue using medical cannabis despite a new state law that prohibits people on probation from having the state-issued medical marijuana cards.

If she succeeds, it could give about 1,000 medical marijuana cardholders who are under Department of Corrections supervision a chance at keeping or obtaining the cards despite the medical marijuana overhaul passed by the legislature this year, Senate Bill 423, which says "a person may not be a registered cardholder if the person is in custody of or under the supervision of corrections or a youth court."

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Nearly two months after a district judge ruled that medical marijuana could be sold in Montana, at least a few local businesses that had closed are reopening their doors -- taking another chance on an industry deemed illegal under federal law.

Caregivers opening and closing their shops is just one sign of the uncertainty as to medical marijuana's legality in Montana, an issue that continues to be in limbo.

"This issue is not going to be settled for some time," said Kate Cholewa, a spokeswoman for the Montana Cannabis Industry Association. "I wouldn't expect anything final for a long time."

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Montana voters made their compassionate intentions clear when they created the state's medical marijuana program in 2004. People with cancer, HIV/AIDs, chronic pain and other conditions should have the legal right to use cannabis safely as part of their medical treatment.

The measure received 62 percent of the vote, a national record for this type of program. It was democracy in action.

The 2011 Legislature's repeal of that policy is a blatant attempt to revoke patients' rights and overturn the will of the voters. The repeal is both cruel and undemocratic. And, for me it is very personal.

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HELENA - A medical marijuana advocacy group has made an urgent plea for money to pay its legal bills for challenging a new law and to help a separate committee cover its consulting fees for its signature-gathering referendum campaign.

"We need at least 1,000 people to donate $25 or $50, and we need at least 50 storefronts to donate at least $1,000 THIS WEEK," the Montana Cannabis Industry Association's spokeswoman Kate Cholewa wrote on its website Aug. 15.

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A medical marijuana advocacy group has made an urgent plea for money to pay its legal bills for challenging a new law and to help a separate committee cover its consulting fees for its signature-gathering referendum campaign.

"We need at least 1,000 people to donate $25 or $50, and we need at least 50 storefronts to donate at least $1,000 THIS WEEK," the Montana Cannabis Industry Association's spokeswoman Kate Cholewa wrote on its website Aug. 15.

She added, "We cannot count on a few large donors to fund these necessary efforts. Bottom-line, the progress we've made will unravel without support now."

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