PROTESTERS STAND UP FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Protesters were out in small groups Wednesday evening at the Missoula
County Courthouse and in front of the Hampton Inn on North Reserve in
response to federal raids on medical marijuana clinics across Montana.

University of Montana graduate student Blair Gemmer stood at the
courthouse holding a sign that read "I'm not a criminal."

Gemmer, who has had his green card for about a year to treat migraines
he's had for 10 years, said he hopes people realize that legal medical
marijuana users are not criminals.

"I want to show the public that we're not afraid of showing our
faces," he said.

There was another protest being held at the Hampton Inn in response to
a rumor that approximately 50 federal agents had checked in.

In front of the Hampton Inn, College of Technology student Laurie
Sween held a sign in protest of the raids. Sween, who goes to Zoo
Mountain Natural Care for her medical marijuana, said she agrees that
abusers and illegal drug traffickers should be held to justice, but
people who legally obtain medical marijuana for legitimate reasons
should be left alone.

"[The government] would rather us take Percocet," Sween
said.

Sween, who suffers from liver cancer and arthritis, said she has taken
prescription drugs to treat her illnesses, but prefers to smoke
marijuana, and has been for almost a year.

"I think everyone has the right to whatever prescription they need,"
Sween said.

Logan Head, a former UM business student, started Zoo Mountain Natural
Care, and stood in front of the Hampton Inn as part of the group of
protesters. Head refused to comment on how he became aware that
federal agents were staying at the Hampton Inn.

Fawn Kendall, the front desk receptionist of the Hampton Inn, said
there were no federal agents staying there.

"There's no way they can even be here," she said.

Kendall explained that an anonymous person had called to confirm with
the Hampton Inn on Tuesday night that about 50 federal agents had
checked in. Kendall told the caller there was no way they could be
there, and that there are only 61 rooms at the hotel.