Montana’s Medical Marijuana Program in Danger of Repeal

In a surprising turn of events, the bill that looked like it was in trouble getting any support in Montana has now passed through both the Montana House and the Montana Senate and is on it’s way to the Governor’s desk. House Bill 161 was written to completely repeal the entire Montana Medical Marijuana law and make the 30,000 Montana citizens who now use medical marijuana legally into criminals. Just last week, the bill missed a cost estimate deadline and looked like it was all but dead on arrival in the House. The legislators were instead putting their energy into a strict regulations overhaul bill.

But many GOP leaders in the House said they would support nothing less than a full repeal, so the bill with seemingly overwhelming odds to get the required majority vote did pass the Montana House. House. Montana’s medical marijuana law was passed by a voter initiative with 64 percent of the voters voting for a medical marijuana program back in 2004.

Montana’s Medical Marijuana-Regulating Bill in Serious Trouble

Lawmakers in Montana missed a deadline for Senate Bill 423 yesterday. SB 423 was the comprehensive overhaul that legislators hoped would reign in the booming medical marijuana industry in the state. The bills sponsor, Republican Senate Majority Leader Jeff Essmann had hoped that the measure would reduce the number of legal marijuana users from the current of more than 28,000 to about 2,000.

Advocates in Montana were facing more than one outright repeal bill, but neither of those made it to the floor. Now, the regulation bill looks like it may be in trouble as well.

Montana Medical Marijuana Program Has a Wild Week

Montana announces new change in proof of residence policy for medical marijuana applicants and in the legal review process find a loophole in the state law. The new policy was set to go into effect on Monday. On Friday, the new announcement was that the applications process will remain as it is, meaning that out-of-staters may qualify for the Montana medical marijuana program.

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