MEDICAL MARIJUANA REFORM MOVING FORWARD

Hutton: Expects Action by Friday

Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, said he expects movement on the action to
reform medical marijuana laws to move this week.

"Now the they have been having a subcommittee meeting and I think the
big decision is going to be made the end of this week, " he said
during a legislative video conference this week. "That's what I keep
telling everybody. That's what they keep promising."

He said law enforcment officers, members of the medical communities
and other organizations universally supported repealing the medical
marijuana law, which stalled in committee on a split vote.

Hutton said he would do what he can to restrict the use as much as
possible.

"I'm going to ratchet it down as much as I can. " he
said.

He added that the main work in the committee is to ensure that sick
people who really need the herb are still able to obtain it.

"We don't want to lose that small segment in the mix, " he
said.

Retired District Judge David Rice said he agrees with Hutton. He
doesn't want to shut out people who truly need marijuana, but the
system is being abused.

"I think modification is going to happen, which is probably a good
thing, " Rice said.

He referred to charges being filed in Havre against a juvenile
probation officer and a Public Health and Human Services employee
alleging they violated the law in operating their medical marijuana
business.

"It occurred right under my watch, which made me pretty unhappy, "
Rice said.

Hutton said that he will continue to push for high
regulation.

"Were not going to leave behind the people who really need the
marijuana .... But that is the direction I'm leaning unless I hear
otherwise, " he said.