The Libby City Council voted Tuesday to give a medical marijuana dispensary 60 days to relocate outside the city limits. In response, one of its main investors promised litigation. "I'm already losing money in this business, but I'll lose more money if I have to defend my patients," said Kevin Moore, investor and former director of a group of medical marijuana dispensaries, The Helping Centers of Montana. The Helping Center of Libby doesn't meet one of the requirements of a city business license, the council said, because it violates federal law, which reads that medical marijuana is illegal. [continues 673 words]
The Libby City Council plans to hold a public meeting with representatives of medical marijuana dispensary, Helping Center of Libby, later this month to determine whether to revoke its city business license. "I make a motion that we send this organization a letter saying that we want at the next available date to have a discussion about suspending their license," councilmember Bill Bischoff said at the meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Peggy Williams absent. The council must either amend its business license ordinance or not allow medical marijuana dispensaries within the city in order to align with the law, members of the council agreed. [continues 615 words]
The Libby City Council dodged a bullet this spring when a new medical marijuana dispensary took up shop 40 feet outside the city limits. Serious discussions on the matter have begun again, however, now that a new dispensary opened in the city center last month. The council's main concern reflects that of municipals across the state. Marijuana is recognized for its medicinal purposes in the State of Montana but not at the federal level. A medical marijuana enterprise is in conflict with the city's business license ordinance, which states that businesses must follow all local, state and federal laws. [continues 977 words]
The State of Montana is frantically backpedaling six years after voters passed Medical Marijuana Initiative 148. One of 10 states now with medical marijuana programs, Montana has fallen into what might be called pot-plant purgatory as it struggles with blurry laws and even blurrier implementation plans, stalling what might well become a legitimate and major homegrown industry. In this economy, it's encouraging to witness any business spring up so quickly from a tiny seed. For marijuana outlet stores, business is flourishing, though some residents have become alarmed. Towns like Lewistown, Kalispell, Great Falls, Montana City, Belgrade, Havre and Billings are suffering runaway growth in dispensaries and have passed moratoria limiting new establishments. [continues 662 words]
