Tomorrow the Montana medical marijuana stores will close.
Oh, there’s some talk that they might stay open until March 25, but there’s no confirmation of that.
For the most part, there’s a lot of hope.
There’s hope that legal action on the part of the Montana medical marijuana community will result in some kind of delay of the February 25 Montana Supreme Court ruling to do away with medical marijuana as a viable business in the state.
Already many Montana medical marijuana providers have closed up shop.
We’ve already profiled the economic and emotional impact of a renewed medical marijuana prohibition.
I’m not that confident that much will happen, myself.
Some in the Montana medical marijuana community are, however, and that’s why $50,000 has been spent on a lawyer to somehow get something that will let those shops stay open.
On top of this, $140,000 is being spent to get a medical marijuana initiative approved and the signatures gathered to get it on the ballot.
That’s right, there will be paid signature gatherers for the medical marijuana petition…as soon as the initiative is approved.
According to those in the Montana medical marijuana community, that approval is still 3 to 4 weeks away.
Until then we have the CI-115 to legalize marijuana and I-178 to tax marijuana sales at 20%.
As you know, I’ve been going around Missoula collecting signatures.
Yeah, I was hoping for a bit more luck at UM as well, but many people just walked by me or said no.
I was very surprised. Maybe these students are more conservative, or perhaps just stressed and rushed for time.
Either way, not much there…today. There’s a food and cultural festival on Sunday, March 20, from 1 to 5 PM at the UC that might work better.
Oh, there’s some talk that they might stay open until March 25, but there’s no confirmation of that.
For the most part, there’s a lot of hope.
There’s hope that legal action on the part of the Montana medical marijuana community will result in some kind of delay of the February 25 Montana Supreme Court ruling to do away with medical marijuana as a viable business in the state.
Already many Montana medical marijuana providers have closed up shop.
We’ve already profiled the economic and emotional impact of a renewed medical marijuana prohibition.
I’m not that confident that much will happen, myself.
Some in the Montana medical marijuana community are, however, and that’s why $50,000 has been spent on a lawyer to somehow get something that will let those shops stay open.
On top of this, $140,000 is being spent to get a medical marijuana initiative approved and the signatures gathered to get it on the ballot.
That’s right, there will be paid signature gatherers for the medical marijuana petition…as soon as the initiative is approved.
According to those in the Montana medical marijuana community, that approval is still 3 to 4 weeks away.
Until then we have the CI-115 to legalize marijuana and I-178 to tax marijuana sales at 20%.
As you know, I’ve been going around Missoula collecting signatures.
- First I went to the anti-hate rally and got about 75 signatures there.
- Then I went to the First Friday downtown and got about 125 signatures there.
- Finally, just today I headed up to the UM campus and got about 35 more in just 20 minutes.
Yeah, I was hoping for a bit more luck at UM as well, but many people just walked by me or said no.
I was very surprised. Maybe these students are more conservative, or perhaps just stressed and rushed for time.
Either way, not much there…today. There’s a food and cultural festival on Sunday, March 20, from 1 to 5 PM at the UC that might work better.
Jeff Essman led the 2011 effort
Anyways, I’m gathering signatures. Hell, the lady at the elections office knows me on a first name basis now.
So we’re making progress. It might be slow and unnoticeable progress (I was told voter registration forms are taking precedence for entry at this point) but at least it’s progress.
For the 14,000 or so medical marijuana cardholders in Montana, well…sorry – you guys are shit out of luck.
- Maybe you’ll be one of the lucky 3 patients providers that can stay in business are allowed to have.
- Perhaps you can find a reliable black market source.
- It could even be that you’ll drive a couple hours to Spokane for your cannabis.
Either way, you won’t be buying it legally in Montana anymore.
Hundreds of lost jobs and tens of thousands of dollars a month that’s just been taken out of our economy…at least the legal economy.
All of that thanks to your 2011 Republican-controlled Montana Legislature.
Your 2016 Republican-controlled Montana Supreme court is equally to blame, as is Tim Fox our Attorney General and Governor Bullock.
That last one is to blame as he was Attorney General when the 2011 Legislature passed this.
Yep, don’t count on your Democratic governor for support, or many of your Democratic legislators.
All the Democratic legislators I’ve seen in Missoula have refused to sign.
So we’re on our own here, folks.
Let’s show them what that means.
Let’s show them by getting this initiative on the ballot this November and then not only passing it, but passing the hell out it.
