Veto SB 423

Soon Gov. Schweitzer will have Senate bill 423 on his desk. It is the
Legislature's proposed Montana medical marijuana law. Last week he
properly vetoed a very similar law to do totally do away with the
availability of medical marijuana in our state. He correctly stated
that a small number of legislators should not be able to overrule a
voter referendum that passed by 60 percent, many who were older
women. This new bill is a nightmare, and it will kill the medical
marijuana program in Montana as well. This bill is onerous, in that a
Montana marijuana cardholder must grow his or her own product, or by
a provider who may not take any compensation for the product. With
goofy language and regulations like this, it is a back door attempt
to kill the program again

SB 423 proposes that patients grow it for themselves or have it given
to them. Get real! Are you going to put an 85-year-old grandma in the
back room growing pot while she deals with her chemotherapy? When you
have basically outlawed this drug, you are sending grandma's children
into the streets hunting for marijuana. What a boon for the Mexican
drug gangs! Veto Senate Bill 423 and keep Montana's medical marijuana
program alive.

Dr. Eric D. Schneider

Livingston