SCRAP MONTANA LAW ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA

I was one of two people who wrote the opposition to the 2004
initiative to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. I believed
that the the initiative was illegal under federal law, and would be
abused in any event. I was in error in regard to the federal law, the
courts did not strike down state medical marijuana laws. Further,
President Obama says that he does not want U.S. attorneys to enforce
federal drugs laws that conflict with state medical marijuana laws.
My fears about abuse of the statute were more accurate; a law sold
to the public as a measure to relieve the suffering of a 75-year-old
cancer victim was being used to allow a 16-year-old to have a
headache treated with cannabis.

The initiative had support from well-meaning people of both parties,
but provided no regulation of the growth of the plant, its
distribution, and particularly relevant, its dosage.

It is clear that the majority of people in Montana want people with
real medical problems to have legal access to marijuana, but the
initiative should be scrapped and the Legislature required to provide
a workable statute that the public supports and with which law
enforcement can live. Right now hard working prosecutors and
policeman are simply frustrated. Anyone can obtain a medical
marijuana card and anyone can grow the plant.

Jim Shockley

Senate District 45

Victor