Pubdate: Tue, 07 Jun 2016
Source: Missoulian (MT)
Copyright: 2016 Missoulian
Contact:  http://www.missoulian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/720
Author: Jeff Krauss
Note: Jeff Krauss is a current Bozeman city commissioner and 
three-term mayor, a CPA, former Republican treasurer of Gallatin 
County, former member of the Montana Board of Regents, a cancer 
survivor and treasurer for Montana Citizens for Initiative 182.

A RESPONSIBLE MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM FOR MONTANA

Someday you or someone you love may need safe, legal access to medical
marijuana. You, or they, may have cancer, epilepsy, irritable bowel
syndrome, colitis, or Crohn's disease, Parkinson's, breast cancer, a
recent heart attack, or may be a veteran or emergency worker with
post-traumatic stress disorder. In 2004, 64 percent of Montana voters
passed a law creating a medical marijuana program, but access for
patients seeking relief will soon disappear because of political
nonsense in the 2011 Legislature. With these draconian, nonsensical
laws, you and your loved ones aren't going to get what you need for
pain, symptom relief or a cure.

In my town, there is a courageous 33-year old mom of two who is
fighting a battle with cancer. You might have seen her, bald, on TV or
in a newspaper photo, asking you to sign the petition to get
Initiative 182 on the ballot and vote for the measure come November.
Medical marijuana makes her daily struggle with chemotherapy possible,
and allows her some quality of life. I-182 will ensure patients like
her have access to the medicine they need, while putting new
sideboards and accountability in place.

The issue of veterans' access to medical marijuana has garnered strong
bipartisan support at the federal level, with both Montana Sens. Steve
Daines (Republican) and Jon Tester (Democrat) endorsing legislation
that is pending before Congress to allow access to medical marijuana
for veterans in the current 24 states that have adopted medical
marijuana laws. Medical marijuana is being used to treat veterans for
PTSD and is a safer option than opioids for managing pain. It is
important that we provide Montana veterans with safe, legal access to
the medicine they need. This new marijuana initiative will honor our
vets with a safe, responsible approach. Montana has one of the largest
populations of vets per capita, second only to Alaska. We need to
align with our Senators Tester and Daines to allow our veterans the
choices they deserve.

Recently that 33-year Bozeman mom said, "I know from my personal
experience with others fighting cancer we need safe access to medical
marijuana. My health story is not unusual, but with the potential
absence of medicinal marijuana, I and other cancer patients in Montana
face a choice they shouldn't have to, pain or vomiting. I'm not a bad
person. I'm a sick person; it pains me to think I might be persecuted
for being a sick person."

Her story could be the story of tens of thousands Montanans unless we
act to correct the current situation. I-182 addresses concerns over
the previous law and ensures accountability to all Montanans by:

- - Requiring providers obtain licenses and receive unannounced yearly
inspections.

- - Allowing for product testing to ensure safety, consistency and
accurate dosages.

- - Providing access to veterans and other patients diagnosed with
PTSD.

- - Removing the three-patient limit for providers.

- - Creating licensing fees to pay for the administration of the new
law.

The citizens of Bozeman have trusted me with their city and the
citizens of Gallatin County with their finances; three times I've been
mayor and I was the elected Republican county treasurer. Gov. Brian
Schweitzer trusted me with the university system when he appointed me
to the Montana Board of Regents. You can trust me when I tell you
medical cannabis works, and is desperately needed. You can trust me
when I tell you we can establish controls on how and where it's sold,
and how many sellers there are. We can also prohibit public use. I
know, because we did all that in Bozeman when I was mayor. I-182 can
also limit how it is prescribed, who prescribes it and for what it can
be prescribed.

Time is short. We need your signature. There is urgency to our
campaign. To allow Montanans the opportunity to establish a
responsible, accountable law, we need to qualify for the ballot by
collecting at least 24,175 valid signatures from across the state.
Hundreds of volunteers and staff are working hard to meet the June 17
deadline.

Please sign I-182. Restore the mandate that 64 percent of Montanans
established a decade ago. Let's give people a fighting chance at a
better life.

For more information on I-182 go to www.yeson182.com.

Jeff Krauss is a current Bozeman city commissioner and three-term 
mayor, a CPA, former Republican treasurer of Gallatin County, former 
member of the Montana Board of Regents, a cancer survivor and 
treasurer for Montana Citizens for Initiative 182.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D