cannabisnews.com: Odd Alliances Form on Medical Pot Regulatory Bill
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Odd Alliances Form on Medical Pot Regulatory Bill
Posted by CN Staff on January 22, 2011 at 05:34:32 PT
By Charles S. Johnson, Gazette State Bureau
Source: Billings Gazette
Helena, MT --  Leading medical marijuana advocates formed an unusual alliance with law enforcement and local government officials Friday to support a major proposal to license and regulate the booming industry in Montana.In another strange-bedfellows combination, marijuana growers, caregivers and patients opposing the bill were joined by a group of people who want to repeal the 2004 Montana ballot initiative that legalized medical marijuana in the first place.
More than 70 people testified for or against House Bill 68, sponsored by Rep. Diane Sands, D-Missoula, on behalf of an interim committee, during a three-hour hearing Friday afternoon before the House Human Services Committee. The panel took no action on the bill.House Bill 68 would create a tiered licensing system, require criminal background checks for people who grow and sell medical marijuana, require two physicians to sign off before a patient with chronic pain could be authorized to use medical marijuana, give local governments the authority to regulate the industry and ban the smoking of medical marijuana in public.Doctors would have to have an office in Montana and couldn't have financial ties to the medical marijuana industry under the bill. These were among the steps aimed at stopping the "cannabis caravans" at which doctors saw dozens of patients at brief appointments and sometimes over the Internet before prescribing medical marijuana to them.The regulatory costs for the bill would be paid for by licensing fees estimated to raise $7.6 million in fiscal 2012.HB68 is one of two major bills to add more control over an industry that some say has spun out of control since fall of 2009. A separate bill by Sen. Dave Lewis, R-Helena, also would impose a regulatory system and tax medical marijuana. Other pending bills would repeal the law now or put it back before voters.Sands told the panel that the interim committee took up the issue after numerous stories about medical marijuana hit the media last year."No one envisioned we would see the explosion in the medical marijuana industry," she said, noting that more than 27,000 people have obtained cards allowing them to use medical pot.She estimated that medical marijuana in Montana may be a $50 million to $100 million "unregulated cash business.""It was our commitment to honor the will of the sovereign voters of the state of Montana," she said. "It was our responsibility to try to make it work for the people of Montana. This is not a repeal bill."Mark Long, representing the Montana Narcotics Officers Association, supported the bill, saying law enforcement officials have no idea how much marijuana is being produced in the state. But Montana has seen a "tremendous increase in criminal activity," with much of it surrounding the medical marijuana industry, he said."This thing has created a fiasco in this state that also is an embarrassment at the national level," Long said.Jim Smith, speaking for the Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers and Montana County Attorney associations, said they appreciate the bill setting a "clear bright line about what's legal and what's not." The bill also gives local governments regulatory authority.Tom Daubert, one of the authors of the initiative and head of Patients & Families United, said he supports the bill, but believes it has some serious flaws. He urged the committee to continue working on it."I believe the opportunity for near-consensus solutions is extraordinarily good," he said.Kate Cholewa, representing the Alliance for Cannabis, supported parts of the bill but opposed the two-doctor requirement for someone with chronic pain to be authorized to use medical marijuana.Opponents from the industry argued that the regulatory requirements were oppressive, would put some of them out of business and represented an overreaction."I think it's based on fear, not facts," said Jason Smith, who has a caregiver business in Billings. "Medication is supposed to be a tax deduction, not a revenue."Jeff Swenson was among several people who criticized the bill's provisions banning felons from obtaining licenses to grow or sell medical marijuana."If all felons are generalized in there, I will lose my job and not be able to provide for myself," he said.A number of people, some using crutches and others in wheelchairs, told the panel that medical marijuana had helped them significantly after other prescription drugs failed.Cherrie Brady, the Billings woman who headed the unsuccessful eleventh-hour attempt last year for a ballot measure to repeal the legalization of medical marijuana, said there are too many flaws in the bill. She called for a legislative repeal of the 2004 measure.Brady's group obtained nearly 20,000 signatures in seven days last June, shortly before the deadline, but failed to get enough to qualify for the ballot."The people of Montana are saying we did not get what we voted for," she said. "People want out of this."Controversial Jason Christ of Missoula, founder of the Montana Caregivers Network, didn't testify against the bill but tried to oppose it as an informational or neutral witness. Afterward, House Human Services Chairman David Howard, R-Park City, said he would put Christ down as an opponent.Christ has drawn criticism from others in the industry for smoking a bowl of medicinal pot outside the Capitol.He faces charges of felony intimidation in Missoula County for an alleged bomb threat against a cellular phone store.Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)Author: Charles S. Johnson, Gazette State BureauPublished:  January 21, 2011Copyright: 2011 The Billings GazetteContact: speakup billingsgazette.comWebsite: http://www.billingsgazette.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/zIYaRdENCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 
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Comment #25 posted by ekim on February 08, 2011 at 12:13:20 PT
Jose are any Hemp studies planned in MT
have often thought that CO would have pressed for a study but have not heard a thing about using Hemp cellulose for feed-stock at the NREL in Golden COhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/23/thread23749.shtmlColorado -- Former CIA Director Jim Woolsey is scheduled to address a meeting today at the Canadian Consulate in Denver. But he won't speak about terrorism.
"If you harvested hemp, you could use part of the plant for industrial purposes and the rest of the plant for cellulosic feed- stock for some type of biofuels."
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #24 posted by josephlacerenza on February 08, 2011 at 07:29:42 PT:
Medical Marijuana Caregiver, Providers Page
Find a Caregiver / provider that is there and ready to work for YOU. Find a caregiver / provider that has the strains / varieties you need for the condition/s you face as a MMJ patient. Tell them Montana Biotech Sent you!!
Medical Marijuana Caregiver, Providers Page
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #23 posted by josephlacerenza on February 08, 2011 at 07:26:02 PT:
Medical Marijuana Strains / Varieties Page
Find Strains / varieties that have been THC, CBD, CBN, potency tested by Montana Biotech. Find the cannabis that works for you!!!
Medical Marijuana Strains / Varieties Page
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #22 posted by josephlacerenza on February 07, 2011 at 06:17:20 PT:
Healing Consultants, Inc Caregiver in MT
Montana Biotech has started testing services for Healing Consultants, Inc here in MT. They are great people doing a great job, and providing the best caregiver service around!!
Check them out....
Healing Consultants, Inc Caregiver in MT
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #21 posted by josephlacerenza on February 06, 2011 at 17:13:13 PT:
I found this tid bit... Dangerous Toxins in MMJ?
The article in Mother Jones, carried by AlterNet, is about the need to test cannabis in the medical marijuana industry for purity and potency.Montana Biotech:http://www.montanabiotech.wordpress.com
Which Dangerous Toxins Are in Your Marijuana?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #20 posted by josephlacerenza on January 31, 2011 at 15:51:43 PT
MT Jar, Located in Bozeman Montana
They have done testing with MBT before. 
MT Jar Bozeman
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #19 posted by josephlacerenza on January 28, 2011 at 13:39:55 PT
Full Spectrums Lab, Colorado
I do not know if you guys remember them. They are still around.
Full Spectrums Lab, Colorado
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #18 posted by josephlacerenza on January 28, 2011 at 07:22:57 PT
Montana Biotech Laboratory Researcher Profile
 I thought it was time to put my bio out there in my own hand.
MBT Researcher Profile
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #17 posted by josephlacerenza on January 27, 2011 at 10:20:49 PT
HB 68 Big Deal
HB 68 is a big deal to Montana Biotech. Enough said.....HB 68 as it is proposed:
http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2011/BillPdf/HB0068.pdf
Montana Biotech Lab Located in Bozeman, MT
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #16 posted by josephlacerenza on January 26, 2011 at 06:49:55 PT
Montana THC Lab
OOPS this link should work!!
Weed Lab Montana
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #15 posted by josephlacerenza on January 26, 2011 at 06:47:45 PT
Montana Biotech
Potency laboratory in Montana
Weed Lab in Montana
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #14 posted by josephlacerenza on January 25, 2011 at 21:42:56 PT
Good News
I tried to fix the link!
Cannabis Potency Laboratory, Bozeman Montana
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #13 posted by josephlacerenza on January 25, 2011 at 20:20:50 PT
LoL
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I did get some good press finally!!
Potency Analysis and THC Labeling Laboratory, Bozeman MT
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #12 posted by FoM on January 25, 2011 at 19:50:12 PT
Joseph
I meant my life slowing down not progress in our area. LOL!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by josephlacerenza on January 25, 2011 at 19:41:32 PT
OOPS!
Here is the right link. :)
THC Testing Montana
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by josephlacerenza on January 25, 2011 at 19:39:39 PT
No slowing down here!!!
Montana became the state with the highest percentage of the population with a cannabis card, Colorado was #1 before. In other words, 2.7% of Montanan's have a medical marijuana card. This does not include caregivers!!! THC Labeling will be mandatory by the end of the year!!!
THC Testing Montana
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by FoM on January 25, 2011 at 07:03:36 PT
Joseph
All is well. I have been very busy too recently. Hopefully things will slow down a little in the not too distant future.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by josephlacerenza on January 25, 2011 at 06:42:33 PT
Honest John's Farmacy
Montana is working with Honest John's with their potency analysis needs. Find pot in Belgrade, go to Honest John's.
Where to find Pot in Belgrade Montana
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by josephlacerenza on January 24, 2011 at 19:57:55 PT
Hi FoM
I have been around. Just was too busy to stop in :) 
It is good to see all are well. 
I have seen museman here too, Hope, all seems to be in order!!
Marijuana Testing Montana
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by josephlacerenza on January 24, 2011 at 15:58:18 PT
MMJ Montana
Testing THC levels can help patients and caregivers determine what work form whom..
Testing THC Levels
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 24, 2011 at 15:58:02 PT
Joseph
Keep up the good work!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by josephlacerenza on January 24, 2011 at 14:52:07 PT
THC Test Montana
I have been trying to get the word out.
THC Test Montana Biotech
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by josephlacerenza on January 24, 2011 at 07:42:47 PT
Potency Analysis Lab
I did no lobbying for HB 68 here in Montana, but it will bring a much needed legitimacy to the industry as a whole. What is different about Montana is that we have the highest percentage of the states population with a medical marijuana card. Montana Biotech is my laboratory I started to conduct potency analysis and genetic screening for the medical marijuana industry. 
Potency Analysis and Labeling Laboratory, Bozeman MT
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by josephlacerenza on January 24, 2011 at 06:24:56 PT
Medical Marijuana in Montana
The marijuana sold in Montana has to be labeled with "Grown in Montana". People here realize there has been a lot of cannabis coming from out of state.Medical Marijuana, Montana:
http://tinyurl.com/4n6zgmn
Medical Marijuana Coming to Idaho???
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by josephlacerenza on January 23, 2011 at 07:01:55 PT
Potency Analysis Labeling
Montana HB 68 is going to make it mandatory to label ALL medical marijuana sold in ANY Montana dispensary/store. My lab, Montana Biotech, focuses on potency testing of cannabis products, isolates and, marijuana infused products. Labels will have to include:1.) The product contains Marijuana2.) The potency analysis data, i.e. THC content.
and 3.) Presence or absence of inorganic fertilizers, pesticides/insecticides, herbicides.Montana Biotech has been in the business of offering potency testing and genetic screening for males vs female ratios in seedlings for the past 2 years!!So, patients and caregivers/providers should be ready for the coming changes to the existing Montana Medical Marijuana Act!!Call MBT   4066006871 for pricing and availability of Potency Analysis and Labeling!!!
Potency Labeling in Montana
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