CORVALLIS -- David Merrick wants to be noticed. As Ravalli County's Libertarian Party chairman, he has a message about property rights that he wants to share. Merrick believes that people in this country have a right to do with what they wish with their own body, as long as no one else is getting hurt. In his mind, it's the essence of a constitutional protection of personal property rights. "If you don't have that property right to your own body, how can you expect to use real estate property rights or any others?" he said. [continues 786 words]
Lori Burnam was never one to seek the limelight. But the Hamilton woman's advocacy for medical marijuana in Montana propelled her to the forefront of a challenge to the state's new, more restrictive marijuana law. "She was always quiet and took care of her family," remembers her daughter, September Moore. "She also was one to stand up for what she thought was right." Burnam, 66, died Thursday at her home following a six-year battle with lung cancer for which she used medical marijuana to ease the pain and stimulate her appetite. She also suffered from glaucoma, emphysema and other ailments. [continues 948 words]
HAMILTON - Two Ravalli County Libertarian candidates recently arrested on drug charges are on the front lines of protecting life, liberty and property, according to Ravalli County's Libertarian Party chair. David Merrick said he remains fully supportive of Rob McCoy and Karen Fisher. "I still fully support these two candidates," Merrick said this week. "They haven't harmed anyone." Both McCoy and Fisher are Libertarian candidates for state legislative seats this year. Both were charged with felony drug counts last week after the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office allegedly found more than twice the legal amount of marijuana allowed a medical marijuana provider at McCoy's home. [continues 371 words]
STEVENSVILLE - A raid of a Stevensville medical marijuana grow operation Wednesday could set up the first test case for the state's new medical marijuana law in Ravalli County. Ravalli County sheriff's officers raided the Banana Belt Caregivers facility just east of the Stevensville Wye and removed a "significant amount" of marijuana plants and cannabis-based products, but no arrests were made, Ravalli County Sheriff Chris Hoffman said Thursday. The warrant was served following information gained through an investigation into another alleged illegal grow operation in the county, Hoffman said. [continues 515 words]
Rep. Gary MacLaren, R-Victor, is confident that Montana's medical marijuana law will look quite different at the end of next year's legislative session. And he's sure it won't stop there. "We'll probably find that in two years hence that we will have to modify it some more," MacLaren said. "There is always something that will be overlooked." MacLaren is part of a subcommittee of the Children, Families, Health and Human Service Interim Committee that has been reviewing proposed changes to the 2004 law. [continues 530 words]
