MARIJUANA DOES NOT CAUSE INCREASE IN CRIME

What is causing the Montana GOP to attack medical marijuana with such
a vengeance? The GOP would have you believe marijuana is fostering an
increase in crime in our state.

A quick check of police records in Bozeman, Butte, Helena and Missoula
does not show an increase in marijuana-related crime proportional to
the growth of the industry.

Other states with medical marijuana activity will also show this same
pattern. If medical marijuana is not causing a proportional increase
in crime and has medical use, the question begs: Why repeal or
severely restrict it? I propose the real reason is the GOP is afraid.
They are afraid the people associated with medical marijuana think
politically differently than them.

The GOP is afraid of a power and resource shift in the state if the
medical marijuana industry is allowed to grow. These medical marijuana
people may be more in favor of green energy, they may want to spend
more on education, they might want to accept federal money to help the
poor, they might be in favor of family health care.

These Republicans were elected not to create more social restrictions,
but on pledges of more jobs for Montanans in a slow economy.
Tragically, they want to eliminate most of the jobs in this growing
industry and related provider industries causing great harm to many
families.

If only our medical marijuana industry was regulated similar to
Colorado. Our industry could provide much needed revenue for Montana
to help balance its budget. If a lot of good can come from this
industry, again, why would the Montana GOP severely restrict medical
marijuana? True Republican answer: to keep this industry from
interfering with their agenda and power.

David Broederdorf

Big Sky