Truth Seeker
New Member
Medical marijuana recently received the official support of the Montana Democrats, but the Republicans aren't likely to follow suit.
At their convention in Helena last weekend, Democrats voted to add support for medical marijuana to their party's platform. Their 2010 platform included no mention of marijuana.
The new language says that, because voters approved the use of medical marijuana, the Democratic Party supports "the right of qualified patients with a medical condition where marijuana is appropriate (to) have safe access to medical marijuana."
Bob Brigham, Montana First spokesman, said he knew the medical marijuana endorsement was coming but couldn't take any credit for it. Montana First is behind a ballot initiative to end criminal penalties for personal marijuana use.
"After seeing the craziness in the (2011) Legislature and the percentage of voters who approved it, it just makes sense," Brigham said. "Everyone (at the campaign) was complaining about the Legislature."
Gallatin Democrats chairman Billy McWilliams didn't help craft the platform details but said he knew the party would not ignore medical marijuana after the 2011 Legislature made it "a hot-button issue."
Democratic Party spokesman Chris Saeger said the new medical marijuana stance didn't see much debate at the convention.
"There are other issues that came up this time that didn't before and reasons why are usually pretty quirky," Saeger said.
Gallup polls conducted during the past decade show at least 70 percent of Americans approve of medical marijuana use.
So it was not surprising when 61 percent of Montana voters approved the Medical Marijuana Act in 2004.
But problems developed as medical marijuana was prescribed for some questionable circumstances. Providers multiplied rapidly in Montana after the U.S. attorney general said in 2009 that the federal government would not prosecute Montana medical marijuana users.
"There are things that can be done better," Brigham said. "But we should strive to learn from the best practices of other states. What we got was a far cry from that."
The 2010 Montana Republican platform said the GOP supported either amending or repealing the Medical Marijuana Act because problems existed with the law.
Following their platform, Republican representatives proposed bills during the 2011 Legislature seeking to restrict medical marijuana.
House Bill 161 tried to repeal the law and was approved by both houses but not by a large enough margin to survive a veto by Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Schweitzer said the bill countered the vote of the people.
About the same time, Public Policy Polling asked Montana voters what the Legislature should do. Almost half said the law should be stricter and 20 percent said the law should be repealed.
Republicans then pushed Senate Bill 423, which revised the Medical Marijuana Act, imposing stricter regulations.
The original draft faced heavy opposition and was amended several times as representatives battled. It became law without the governor's signature and went into effect in July.
The 2012 GOP platform is not likely to deviate much from the party's 2010 stance when the Republicans have their convention in Missoula this weekend.
Montana Republican Party executive director Bowen Greenwood said it was too early to tell how the subcommittees would deal with the medical marijuana issue this year.
"It's a great help having the Democrats put it in their platform," Brigham said. "I'd urge the Republicans to do the same thing."
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: bozemandailychronicle.com
Author: Laura Lundquist
Contact: Contact Us - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Contact
Website: Montana Democrats voice support for medical marijuana - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Politics
At their convention in Helena last weekend, Democrats voted to add support for medical marijuana to their party's platform. Their 2010 platform included no mention of marijuana.
The new language says that, because voters approved the use of medical marijuana, the Democratic Party supports "the right of qualified patients with a medical condition where marijuana is appropriate (to) have safe access to medical marijuana."
Bob Brigham, Montana First spokesman, said he knew the medical marijuana endorsement was coming but couldn't take any credit for it. Montana First is behind a ballot initiative to end criminal penalties for personal marijuana use.
"After seeing the craziness in the (2011) Legislature and the percentage of voters who approved it, it just makes sense," Brigham said. "Everyone (at the campaign) was complaining about the Legislature."
Gallatin Democrats chairman Billy McWilliams didn't help craft the platform details but said he knew the party would not ignore medical marijuana after the 2011 Legislature made it "a hot-button issue."
Democratic Party spokesman Chris Saeger said the new medical marijuana stance didn't see much debate at the convention.
"There are other issues that came up this time that didn't before and reasons why are usually pretty quirky," Saeger said.
Gallup polls conducted during the past decade show at least 70 percent of Americans approve of medical marijuana use.
So it was not surprising when 61 percent of Montana voters approved the Medical Marijuana Act in 2004.
But problems developed as medical marijuana was prescribed for some questionable circumstances. Providers multiplied rapidly in Montana after the U.S. attorney general said in 2009 that the federal government would not prosecute Montana medical marijuana users.
"There are things that can be done better," Brigham said. "But we should strive to learn from the best practices of other states. What we got was a far cry from that."
The 2010 Montana Republican platform said the GOP supported either amending or repealing the Medical Marijuana Act because problems existed with the law.
Following their platform, Republican representatives proposed bills during the 2011 Legislature seeking to restrict medical marijuana.
House Bill 161 tried to repeal the law and was approved by both houses but not by a large enough margin to survive a veto by Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Schweitzer said the bill countered the vote of the people.
About the same time, Public Policy Polling asked Montana voters what the Legislature should do. Almost half said the law should be stricter and 20 percent said the law should be repealed.
Republicans then pushed Senate Bill 423, which revised the Medical Marijuana Act, imposing stricter regulations.
The original draft faced heavy opposition and was amended several times as representatives battled. It became law without the governor's signature and went into effect in July.
The 2012 GOP platform is not likely to deviate much from the party's 2010 stance when the Republicans have their convention in Missoula this weekend.
Montana Republican Party executive director Bowen Greenwood said it was too early to tell how the subcommittees would deal with the medical marijuana issue this year.
"It's a great help having the Democrats put it in their platform," Brigham said. "I'd urge the Republicans to do the same thing."
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: bozemandailychronicle.com
Author: Laura Lundquist
Contact: Contact Us - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Contact
Website: Montana Democrats voice support for medical marijuana - The Bozeman Daily Chronicle: Politics
