Pubdate: Sun, 04 Sep 2011 Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT) Copyright: 2011 The Billings Gazette Contact: http://billingsgazette.com/app/contact/?contact=letter Website: http://www.billingsgazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/515 Author: Hale Thomas Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n555/a05.html?1136 MEDICAL MARIJUANA SUPPORTERS HAD THEIR CHANCE AND BLEW IT The Aug. 27 guest opinion article "Voters Should Have Say on Medical Marijuana" by Sarah Baugh commands a response. The medical marijuana voters had their say in 2004 and they really blew it, and now they want another chance to deceive Montanans! I was not a Montana resident then, or I would have certainly voted against it. The law was so ambiguous and open-ended that it was doomed for failure from the beginning. As soon as the feds said they would not enforce federal drug laws regarding medical marijuana, that opened the floodgates for much more and tremendous abuse. Thank God a few legislators saw the reality of the situation and were determined to do something to stop this scourge. Based on what I have seen, Colorado is probably the only state that is doing the medical marijuana thing the right way. They set up adequate enforcement mechanisms with the needed personnel and equipment to totally monitor and control the medical marijuana industry. Since they have a sales tax, the income plus license fees, etc. will pay for the new bureaucracy with no extra burden on the taxpayers. Unless Montana somehow emulates Colorado's law and systems, medical marijuana will never work in Montana. I'm all for truly needy people having access to medical marijuana, but it must be totally controlled and self funded. Hale Thomas Bozeman - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.