POLL: MAJORITY OF MONTANANS FAVOR REPEAL OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW

A slim majority of Montanans favor repealing the law legalizing
medical marijuana, but in response to another question, a much larger
percentage support tightening regulations on the industry rather than
terminating the law, a new Lee Newspapers poll shows.

When asked whether they would support or oppose repealing the 2004
state law legalizing medical marijuana, 52 percent said they'd
support repeal and 38 percent opposed it. Ten percent were undecided.

In response to another question, however, 83 percent of voters said
they favor enacting stricter regulation and licensing requirements
for medical marijuana in the state. Thirteen percent opposed
tightening the law, while 4 percent were undecided.

Another question asked voters to choose among three options:
repealing the medical marijuana law, enacting stricter regulations or
leaving the current law intact.

The poll showed 57 percent backing stricter regulations and licensing
requirements, while 31 percent wanted to repeal the law and 11
percent favored keeping the current law intact. The remaining 1
percent were uncertain.

The poll also asked this question: "In 2004, Montana voters passed an
initiative to legal the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Would
you say the law has worked out: better than you expected, worse than
you expected or about the same as you expected?"

Fifty-three percent said the law had worked out worse than expected
and 35 percent said it turned out the same as they expected. Only 3
percent said it was better than they had expected, while 9 percent
were undecided.

The poll was taken for Lee Newspapers March 14-16 by Mason-Dixon
Polling & Research Inc. of Washington, D.C. A total of 625 registered
Montana voters from around the state were interviewed. All said they
regularly vote in Montana elections. The poll has a margin of error
of plus-or-minus 4 percentage points.

Medical marijuana is one of the major issues facing the 2011
Legislature, which so far hasn't agreed on a solution. A bill to
repeal the law passed the House, but a Senate committee deadlocked
over it last week and it remains in limbo. Meanwhile, Senate and
House subcommittees are working on possible bills to impose more
regulatory and licensing restrictions.

Industry supporters maintain that medical marijuana is assisting many
people who suffer from debilitating diseases, who found relief after
other prescription drugs didn't help them.

Critics, however, contend the industry has spun out of control in
Montana. The number of people obtaining cards authorizing them to use
medical marijuana skyrocketed from 3,921 in September 2009 to 28,739
in February 2011.

In follow-up interviews with the Missoulian State Bureau, some
Montanans who were polled had strong feelings about the issue.

"I feel it needs to be repealed," said Ella Schultz of Deer Lodge, a
retired accountant. "I'm anxious about the children, about the people
that are smoking it in their house or having it in their cookies.
Marijuana is the first step. Montana is going to be a big crime
place. The mob is going to come in."

Agreeing was Jeff Bretherton, a Missoula Realtor. "I think the law
has been used as cover-up to protect some unlawful activities," he said.

But others called for tightening up the law, not repealing it.

"It should be revised," said Gary Stewart, a retired Great Falls
resident. "It shouldn't be repealed. I just think it's out of
control. I've never smelled it. I've never smoked it. I'm just an old
guy. (But) I think there are some people that it helps."

Peggy Cain of Missoula, a retired nurse, advocated fixing the law.

"I don't think it's right to repeal something that the voters of the
state have put into the law," she said. "I'm in favor of medical marijuana."

Licensed private investigator Richard Hanson of Columbus said, "I
think fix it up. I think we need it, but boy, I think it's being abused as is."

Homemaker Lila Erickson of Troy said she supports leaving the law as
it is, saying: "Some people use it for medical reasons, and I think
it's a good thing."

The poll's cross tabs revealed the split between political parties
and men and women.

The strongest supporters of repealing the law were Republicans and
independents, with most Democrats against the idea. Men were more
likely to favor repeal than women.

Everyone - men, women, Democrats, Republicans and independents -
advocated stricter regulation and licensing requirements for medical marijuana.

When it came to choosing whether to repeal the law, tighten it up or
do nothing, women and Democrats showed the strongest support for
enacting stricter regulations, although a majority of men did, too. A
majority of Republicans favored repealing it.

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HOW THE LEE NEWSPAPERS POLL WAS CONDUCTED

HELENA - The Lee Newspapers poll was conducted March 14-16 by
Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. of Washington, D.C., for the
Missoulian, Billings Gazette, Montana Standard of Butte, Helena
Independent Record and Ravalli Republic.

A total of 625 registered Montana voters were interviewed statewide
by telephone. All said they regularly vote in state elections.

Pollsters interviewed 320 women for 51 percent of the sample and 305
men for 49 percent.

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
The margin of error is higher for any subgroup such as a gender sampling.

Those interviewed were selected by random variation of the last four
digits of telephone numbers. A cross section of telephone exchanges
was used to ensure an accurate reflection of the state. Quotas were
assigned to reflect the turnout by county.

Here is the breakdown of the 625 telephone calls for the survey:

Eastern Montana area, 55 interviews in these 15 counties: Carter,
Powder River, Rosebud, Custer, Fallon, Prairie, Wibaux, Dawson,
Garfield, McCone, Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Daniels and Valley.

Billings and southeastern Montana area, 125 interviews in these 11
counties: Yellowstone, Treasure, Big Horn, Carbon, Stillwater, Sweet
Grass, Wheatland, Golden Valley, Musselshell, Petroleum and Fergus.

Great Falls and northcentral Montana area, 105 interviews in these 12
counties: Cascade, Meagher, Judith Basin, Teton, Chouteau, Phillips,
Blaine, Hill, Liberty, Toole, Pondera and Glacier counties.

Butte, Helena and Bozeman areas, 160 interviews in these 10 counties:
Lewis and Clark, Powell, Broadwater, Jefferson, Silver Bow, Deer
Lodge, Beaverhead, Madison, Gallatin and Park counties.

Missoula and Kalispell areas, 180 interviews in these eight counties:
Missoula, Granite, Ravalli, Mineral, Sanders, Lake, Flathead and
Lincoln counties.