MARIJUANA MUST BE REGULATED

The Montana Legislature may not be dysfunctional after all. After a
failed attempt at repeal, lawmakers have hammered out a deal that
could rein in the state's burgeoning medical marijuana industry.

A House-Senate conference committee this week settled on a bill that
will much more strictly define the health conditions for which
marijuana may be used as treatment. It will also limit so-called
"caregivers" to three clients each and will ban any payment for the
plants beyond what the caregivers need to recover the cost of
registering with the state.

It appears the measure will effectively end what has become a
multi-million industry. Since voters approved the legalization of
medical marijuana in 2004, some 30,000 people have gotten medical
marijuana prescriptions and growers have invested hundreds of
thousands of dollars in businesses that have 100 or more clients each.

But, while the voters overwhelmingly approved the use of the drug,
many have expressed frustration with the proliferation of
prescriptions and growers.

Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer wisely vetoed a measure to repeal the
law handed him by the GOP-controlled Legislature. That prompted the
compromise regulatory bill that both houses must now approve before it
is sent to the governor.

Medical marijuana growers have decried the measure as an end to their
businesses. They have also questioned the logic of essentially
requiring most users -- many of whom are legitimately ill -- to grow
their own drugs, since they will no longer be able to purchase
marijuana from licensed businesses.

In fact some of the provisions do seem severe and counterintuitive.
But growers should have known they were getting into a risky business
when they started.

This bill is a start. If the law wins final approval and goes into
effect in July, lawmakers will have 18 months to observe its effects
and then have an opportunity to refine the measure when they meet
again in 2013.

It's not perfect, but then compromise legislation rarely is.
Legislators should approve this measure and Gov. Brian Schweitzer
should sign it. At this point, the only alternative appears to be
doing nothing. And that's just not acceptable.