Pubdate: Sat, 14 May 2011 Source: Bozeman Daily Chronicle (MT) Copyright: 2011 The Bozeman Daily Chronicle Contact: http://bozemandailychronicle.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1686 Author: Amanda Ricker Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/states/MT/ (Montana) MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVOCATES PROTEST REFORM BILL Medical marijuana advocates marched down Bozeman's Main Street on Friday accompanied by draft horses pulling trailers stacked with makeshift coffins. Protestors painted plywood to look like roughly 300 coffins on the back of two trailers. That's the number of people who die each year in Montana from prescription drug overdoses, organizers of the rally said. They argued that if the medical marijuana reform bill approved by the state Legislature becomes law, the number of deaths would increase because patients who use cannabis will instead have to take more dangerous prescription drugs. "The government has said, 'Let's get rid of all the people who use medical marijuana for pain and lets put them on narcotics,'" said Anthony Smith, a Belgrade provider who organized Friday's demonstration. State legislators have said people don't need cannabis because they have access to prescription drugs, Smith said. "They're ignoring the fact that prescription drugs are killing people and that marijuana is safer," he said. Senate Bill 423 is expected to effectively bring an end to the state's medical marijuana industry. The bill prohibits caregivers from serving more than three patients and bars people from accepting money for medical marijuana. The law takes effect July 1. About 30 people took part in Friday's protest, which ran east down Main Street, from KO's Club to the Gallatin County Courthouse steps, at around noon. Demonstrators held signs including "Plants not pills," "Marijuana: the responsible choice," "What's next? Free Vicodin?" and "Man made beer. God made weed. Who do you trust?" They walked on the sidewalk while the horses and trailers accompanied them on the road. They carried funeral flower bouquets and waved American flags. They shouted "Veto 423. Honk if you agree" over megaphones, and passing motorists obliged. Heidi Hanford, a provider from Lincoln and founder of a new medical marijuana magazine, carried a sign that quoted Gov. Brian Schweitzer. "It's a dumb law, but I'm going to let it pass anyway," the sign read. Schweitzer has said he will neither sign nor veto SB 423, allowing it to become law. While he was critical of the reform, he said he cannot allow the Montana's current medical marijuana law - which has allowed marijuana businesses to flourish and the number of marijuana patients in Montana to balloon beyond 30,000 people - to continue. Medical marijuana advocates are trying to get a referendum on the ballot to overturn SB 423. Jim Gingery, executive director of the Montana Medical Growers Association, told protestors gathered on the courthouse lawn that petition language has been submitted to the Secretary of State's Office for approval, which can take up to six weeks. He encouraged supporters to register to vote and make sure their address is recorded correctly so they will be eligible to sign the petition when it's ready. "I think our Legislature is going to be very surprised about how wrong they were about the intent of the voter," Gingery said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake