MARIJUANA MORATORIUM EXTENDED

Days before hundreds of protesters lined the streets of Whitefish to
express their disapproval of the proposed medical marijuana reform
bill, Senate Bill 423, Whitefish City Council was dealing with the
matter on a local level.

After little discussion, the council unanimously approved at the May 2
meeting an ordinance extending an existing moratorium on the opening
of businesses that grow, sell or distribute medical marijuana. The
moratorium will stand for an additional year through June 6, 2012.

The council's vote may be unnecessary, however, because Gov. Brian
Schweitzer has said he will let SB 423 become law, effectively ending
the medical marijuana business in Montana.

Schweitzer stated at the "Politics @ the PAC" forum in Whitefish on
May 5 that while he's not a fan SB 423, it's a compromise that will
have to work until the next legislative session.

"There's plenty of you who are going to be plum mad on all sides,"
Schweitzer said about the bill. "Our job as legislatures, we have got
to find a balance that works for everybody."

Within the bill, Schweitzer said, citizens will still have the right
to possess a medical marijuana card, to possess marijuana, and will
have the opportunity to grow marijuana plants.

The bill, however, puts an end to a $1 billion medical marijuana
industry. Stricter regulations will force growing operations and
storefront dispensaries to shut down operations by July 1. It will
also make it more difficult for people to obtain medical marijuana
cards.

Earlier in the legislative session, Schweitzer vetoed a bill that
would have completely repealed the medical marijuana law that voters
approved in 2004.

Sen. Ryan Zinke, R- Whitefish, questioned at the forum whether voters
in 2004 got what they voted for.

"Did you vote for a $1.2 billion industry?" Zinke asked the audience.
"Did you vote that as you drive into Helena, the state nursery is a
pot farm?

"It's a big issue. This idea that it's OK -- it isn't OK. When I travel
on the east side and oil companies tell me they don't want to hire
Montana guys because they're smoking pot -- it's an issue.

Compared to doing nothing, Zinke said, SB 423 "is not so bad."