Medical marijuana providers are cautiously opening new dispensaries in Missoula and across the state, but the state law allowing such shops remains in question.

"A lot of the industry is still in limbo," said Chris Fanuzzi, a medical marijuana provider who opened a new dispensary, Lionheart Caregiving, in Missoula last month. "The only reason that we can come back is that there is still a demand."

The number of patients and providers, in fact, continues to increase despite the ongoing court battle over Senate Bill 432, 2011 legislation that restricted Montana's medical marijuana industry.

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The medical marijuana businessman who was convicted last spring on federal charges of distributing and manufacturing marijuana says he was unfairly targeted because of his status as a former University of Montana football player and a successful African-American entrepreneur.

Jason Washington broke his post-trial media silence Tuesday in a phone interview with the Missoulian from a private prison in Shelby.

"It's been a blatant, mean, ugly attack," he said.

His medical marijuana business, Big Sky Medical Marijuana Dispensary, was one of the largest operations in the state, which also made it appealing to federal investigators, he said.

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