According to the Associated Press, voters in Montana have approved Initiative 182, the Montana Medical Marijuana Initiative. The Associated Press’s final vote count is 58 to 42 percent.
“This decision restores the rights of patients and providers,” said NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano. “Voters were clear in 2004 when they initially enacted the state’s medical law, and they remain resolved in their opinion that state lawmakers ought not to restrict patients access to medical cannabis.”
I-182 expands the state’s medical marijuana laws. It permits licensed medical marijuana providers to serve more than three patients at one time and allows for providers to hire employees to cultivate, dispense, and transport medical marijuana. I-182 repeals the requirement that physicians who provide certifications for 25 or more patients annually be referred to the board of medical examiners. It removes the authority of law enforcement to conduct unannounced inspections of medical marijuana facilities, and requires annual inspections by the state.
The new law takes effect on June 30, 2017. You can read the full text of the initiative here.
Congratulations Montana!
Congrats, Montana!
Let’s hope this “unfucks” the major clusterfuck that was the medical marijuana law in Montana before this vote.
Couldn’t be happier for you!
Montana’s Medical Marijuana was in name alone until I-182. State lawmakers gutted the program to make it all but unusable. Fortunately the voters have spoken again, that we will not be bullied by our own elected officials.
I can relate. The political machine in Arkansas lead by none other than Asa Hutchinson, former head of DEA, have already started changing and bending The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, also known as Issue 6.
Afraid the A’s….. who blocked our first vote won’t leave this vote in place. They really are stuck in the ( deeply in the past ) sad but true.