STATE POT POLICY IN BAD NEED OF FIX

There is nothing like spending a long, wet, holiday weekend holed up
at home. But look at the bright side, thanks to the Independent Record
and other Lee Newspapers across the state, you had plenty of reading
available, especially on the topic of medical marijuana.

Back in April, the Montana Medical Marijuana Act, which voters
approved in 2004, was described in this space as a public-policy
debacle. Now, it has been officially upgraded to a Category V
Public-Policy Disaster.

From a news-reporting standpoint, medical marijuana is a gold mine. At
every turn, there is some interesting, incredulous twist.

One good example was revealed over the weekend: According to Montana
Department of Corrections, more than 9 percent of Montanans on
probation or parole carry medical marijuana "green" cards. Apparently,
the pain of being forced to comply with the law, any law, can only be
relieved by getting high.

Another story from the weekend noted the dismay of many Montana
doctors over the ease of getting approved for a green card, especially
among those who pile into a hotel convention hall for a brief
consultation with doctors who sign off with little examination or
review of medical records. Many of the physicians taking part in these
"clinics" are from out of state and collect a tidy fee for a few
minutes of their time.

"We have reached the point in Montana where medical-marijuana
certification is for sale with a physician's signature," said one
doctor in a weekend news story.

The physician is indeed an expert on the topic. This doctor,
practicing in a small western Montana town, has certified more than
3,000 medical marijuana patients. How's that for a unique blend of the
Hippocratic Oath, the doctor's code of ethics, and hypocrisy?

The tragedy in this mess is that cancer and glaucoma victims, and
others who suffer from chronic pain - the folks the 2004 initiative
was aimed at helping - may be at risk of being left out when the dust
settles on this debacle-turned-disaster.

The good news is that the many news stories related to this
nightmarish public policy have drawn the clear attention of Montana's
elected officials. The topic is sure to be the subject of vigorous
debate when the Montana Legislature meets next year.

Already, one legislator, Sen. Jim Shockley, R-Victor, has requested
that a bill repealing the marijuana law be drafted for the 2011
session. "It was a good idea, poorly executed," Shockley said in
announcing his intent a couple of weeks back.

While repeal might put a stop to the present mania, it also could hurt
those who most need help. It will be up to the Legislature to find a
way to maintain the essence of the initiative and develop sound,
enforceable regulations regarding medical marijuana.

While there will be plenty of room for debate on what those
regulations should be, there should be no debate about the need for
significant change. At this point, the spirit of the 2004 initiative
is hopelessly mired in a cesspool of misrepresentation, greed and quackery.