PAY ATTENTION TO CANDIDATES' POSITION ON MARIJUANA

As I paged through the Montana Legislature voter guide in Sunday's
Gazette, I read with interest the positions of our HD48 candidates.
There are several differences between the candidates on the issues.

On one important issue, the candidates are 180 degrees apart. That
issue is the Medical Marijuana Act. Doug Kary, the Republican
candidate, supports a statewide ballot initiative to repeal the
Medical Marijuana Act. His opponent, Wanda Grinde, the incumbent
Democrat, supports the Legislature making revisions to the existing
Medical Marijuana Act.

With the increasing challenges to our community and court system
dealing with DUI, meth, other illegal drugs and the alarming rise in
abuse and death from prescription drugs, it makes no sense for our
busy Legislature to continue muddling over a drug that is still deemed
illegal by the federal government and almost all other states.

In 2004, Montana voters voted with compassion for terminally/seriously
ill Montanans to obtain medical marijuana from their legitimate
doctors to mitigate pain. What has resulted is a marijuana industry in
our state. We saw hundreds of people line up at the Metra and pay an
out-of-state "doctor" for their medical marijuana cards.

Voters in Yellowstone County and across our state should check their
candidates' position on this issue. The voter guide in Sunday's
Gazette lists each candidate's position from the Gazette readership
area. When you find out, inform your friends and family.

Mac Souza

Billings