DEPUTY DRUG CZAR WILL VISIT BILLINGS

The White House deputy drug czar is scheduled to visit Montana this week to
talk about issues such as drug treatment and efforts to legalize medical
marijuana in the state.

Scott Burns plans to meet with local law enforcement, treatment center
officials and others during his three-city visit, said Rafael Lemaitre, a
spokesman with the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Burns has events
scheduled Wednesday and Thursday in Missoula, Helena and Billings.

Lemaitre said methamphetamine and medical marijuana will be leading topics
for Burns during the trip. Burns plans to talk about efforts to crack down
on the supply and demand of illegal drugs, as well as the importance of
drug-treatment programs. He also plans to discuss concerns national drug
policy officials have about efforts in Montana and other states to legalize
the use of marijuana for treatment of certain medical conditions.

Montana voters will decide an initiative on the November ballot that would
legalize medical marijuana.

Initiative 148 would allow patients with "debilitating" medical conditions
to produce, possess and use marijuana. Under medical supervision, patients
could use marijuana to ease the symptoms of diseases such as cancer, AIDS
or certain other conditions.

Paul Befumo, a spokesman for I-148, said Monday he is concerned about the
spread of misinformation about medical marijuana.

One of the reasons for opposition, he said, is a potential financial hit to
pharmaceutical companies if people use marijuana as a pain killer. He also
believes that it's difficult for the government to move away from an
"extreme position" it's taken on marijuana.

"They know that marijuana is just incredibly safe," he said.