Pubdate: Sat, 28 Aug 2010
Source: Belgrade News (MT)
Contact: http://www.belgrade-news.com/site/forms/?mode=letters
Copyright: 2010 The Belgrade News
Website: http://www.belgrade-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5163
Note: This editorial appeared in the Chronicle on Thursday.
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

POT LEGISLATION NECESSARY

It took a few headlines around the state about how local communities 
were coping with the explosion in the use and sale of medical 
marijuana, but some Montana lawmakers are finally getting serious 
about regulating this burgeoning industry at the state level.

On Tuesday, a legislative committee in Helena voted to OK proposed 
medical marijuana regulations that will be sent to the Legislature in January.

The committee has done its work well.

Among other things, the new regulations will list the diseases 
eligible for medical marijuana treatment, require two doctors to sign 
off on marijuana prescriptions for pain relief, make driving under 
the influence of marijuana illegal, create stricter regulations for 
those who grow or sell marijuana and extend the state's indoor 
smoking ban to marijuana.

These are all reasonable measures that will go a long way to address 
the concerns of small communities, concerns about the number and 
locations of medical marijuana sales and production outlets. Local 
government officials - including many here in Gallatin County - have 
struggled to keep outlets away from schools and churches and to stem 
the rising numbers of these new businesses.

Although members of this new industry participated in the crafting of 
the new legislation, they have decried the proposed regulations as 
too draconian and say they will lobby against passage in the whole Legislature.

This will be a mistake.

Given the ease with which people were procuring the so-called "green 
cards" that permit them to possess and use marijuana, something had 
to be done. Some 23,500 people had been issued cards by the end of 
July, an exponential increase from the few thousand issued as of last year.

If the proliferation of the cards is to continue unabated, the total 
decriminalization of marijuana would be the net effect. And that's 
not what Montanans voted for when they legalized the use of medical 
marijuana in 2004.

The proposed legislation will not only restrict the over-prescription 
and dangerous use of medical marijuana, it will add some legitimacy 
to this new facet of Montana life. And that will be a good thing for 
everyone, including those who grow and dispense this new medical treatment.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom