FOES OF POT BILL WORK TO STOP LAW

HELENA -- Medical marijuana advocates are launching a three-pronged
strategy -- veto, sue and suspend -- to stop the recently passed bill
that would impose far greater restrictions on the industry and make
it harder for people to qualify for the medical pot.

First, they are trying to convince Gov. Brian Schweitzer to change
his mind and veto Senate Bill 423, by Sen. Jeff Essmann, R-Billings.
Schweitzer said Friday he wouldn't veto the bill, but instead would
hold his nose and let it become law without his signature. It has not
become law yet.

The groups also may file lawsuits to challenge the future law, which
would put medical marijuana growers and caregivers out of business by July 1.

Finally, they want to stop it in its tracks by mounting a referendum to

suspend the law before it takes effect and let voters decide the its
fate on the November 2012 ballot.

"We're still hoping the governor reconsiders his position and
reconsiders," said Jim Gingery, executive director of the Montana
Medical Growers Association. "The governor's very unpredictable."

Added Tom Daubert, founder of Patients & Families United, a medical
marijuana advocacy group: "No question the priority at the moment and
the sole focus at the movement is to try to persuade the governor to
change his mind."

Montana NORML, which advocates for legalization of marijuana, is
organizing a rally in Whitefish on Thursday morning where Schweitzer
will speak to the Chamber of Commerce. The group is calling for "a
mass of people, dressed in their Sunday best, politely holding 'VETO
SB423' signs, its newsletter says.

Schweitzer reiterated Tuesday he has no intention of vetoing the
medical marijuana bill.

He said he has already made his opinion known about SB423 in the
amendatory veto he issued last week. A legislative conference
committee adopted some but not all of his changes.

Schweitzer said there were only 17 House votes and 15 Senate votes
against SB423 for a combined total of 32 votes. He would need 51
votes -- 34 in the House and 17 in the House -- to uphold his veto on any bill.

"The numbers are not there," he said. "That's the end of it."

The second approach is a lawsuit.

"We're going to certainly going to look at legal alternatives to stop
the bill from being enacted on a legal basis," Gingery said.

Daubert, founder of Patients & Families United, agreed, saying: "I've
certainly asked some of the most experienced attorneys I know to take
a hard look at the bill."

John Masterson of Montana NORML said in an email newsletter that "the
right legal action, launched in the right jurisdiction, could prevent
or delay implementation of SB423."

"My gut feeling is that there are probably 10-plus big growers out
there, with a bundle of cash and a top-shelf lawyer ready to do this
- - but, please, you guys, slow down and consider this: If multiple
suits are launched in different jurisdictions that argue some of the
same points, it's possible the suits could be combined to be heard in
one court - which might be the worst court we could be in."

Jason Christ of Missoula, founder of the Montana Caregivers Network,
who signed up thousands of medical marijuana cardholders, said in an
email he's preparing a lawsuit against the state and will post it on
his website.

"Keep checking back for the documents," he said on his website. "You
will be able to use them for court action against the state of
Montana. Montana State Constitution says that we can sue the sh-t out
of our government." He cited the right of privacy.

The final option is to obtain enough signatures to put SB423 on the
ballot as a referendum in 2012, or, if with signatures, to suspend
SB423 before it takes effect. That effort can't begin until SB423 becomes law.

Gingery said the groups are in the process of preparing a referendum
so people can begin gathering signatures at the right time. Daubert
called this "a natural thing to think of too."

Montana NORML said the effort may take 100,000 signatures so some
1,000 signature gatherers must be recruited.

It was unclear from the secretary of state's office Tuesday exactly
how many total signatures are needed.

A simple referendum requires at least 5 percent of the registered
voters in the state to sign the petitions, including those from at
least 33 of the state House districts.

Suspending a law passed by the Legislature requires at least 15
percent of the voters in at least 51 of the House districts.