HIGHLIGHTS OF MEDICAL-MARIJUANA DRAFT BILL

HELENA - A legislative interim committee is expected to vote on
Tuesday on whether to draft a bill tightening Montana's medical-marijuana laws.

Contents of the proposal include:

. Medical-marijuana patients would have to be residents of Montana.
Current law contains no such requirement.

. Patients seeking a medical-marijuana card to treat "chronic pain"
must get a recommendation from at least two physicians, rather than
one. At present, nearly 70 percent of cardholders obtained a card
after being diagnosed with chronic pain.

. Physicians certifying patients for marijuana use must meet a
detailed "standard of care" that includes a physical examination,
maintaining of patient records and monitoring response to the treatment.

. Medical-marijuana "caregivers," who now can have an unlimited
number of patients for whom they provide and grow marijuana, would be
limited to five patients, and reclassified as "providers."

. New categories of marijuana "dispensaries" and "growers" would be
created, who must be licensed by the state and could grow marijuana
tied to specific patients who sign up with a dispensary or provider.
The businesses would provide quarterly reports on their amount of
customers and marijuana grown and distributed.

. Licensed providers, growers and dispensaries would have to undergo
a fingerprinting and background check by state officials. Convicted
felons could not get a license, and people on parole or probation
with the Department of Corrections could not get a medical-marijuana card.

. Licensing of growers, dispensaries and providers would be handled
by the Department of Revenue.

. Smoking medical marijuana in "plain view of or in a place open to
the general public" would be prohibited.