Pubdate: Tue, 22 Mar 2011
Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicle (MT)
Copyright: 2011 The Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Contact:  http://bozemandailychronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1686
Author: Daniel Person, Chronicle Staff Writer

RAIDED MARIJUANA BUSINESS REOPENS

Saying her business did nothing illegal, the co-owner of Big Sky
Patient Care in Four Corners said the medical marijuana business was
back open for business on Monday.

Valerie Sigler said she and her husband decided to continue providing
patients with medical marijuana after speaking with their lawyer on
Sunday. Big Sky Patient Care was one of many businesses raided by
federal agents last Monday. The raids were targeting "criminal
networks," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a press release
following the searches.

Sigler said she is confident her business is in compliance with
Montana law and said she felt comfortable re-opening the doors.

"I am not going to leave my patients," she said. "(The raids) have
left them on such a lurch."

"We have not violated any Montana law."

Asked where she would get marijuana for her patients following the
raids, Sigler said the business had a storefront in Butte that was not
searched by authorities.

While the federal government does not recognize state medical
marijuana laws, the Obama administration said in 2009 that it would
not go after medical marijuana businesses that comply with state law.

U.S. Attorney Michael Cotter said that the raids, which were carried
out with the support of local law enforcement, targeted businesses
"where there is probable cause that the premises were involved in
illegal and large-scale trafficking of marijuana."

An affidavit filed by investigators in federal court said Big Sky
Patient Care sold several pounds of medical marijuana to a Helena
medical marijuana business after that business was vandalized.

Sigler said those sales were legal, since state law allows caregivers
to "transport" and "transfer" marijuana, and maintained that the raids
came in retaliation of her activism on the issue.

No charges have been filed in connection to the raids.
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.