cannabisnews.com: House Kills Medical Marijuana Proposal House Kills Medical Marijuana Proposal Posted by CN Staff on February 26, 2003 at 15:09:45 PT By The Associated Press Source: Associated Press Helena - Nobody in Montana should be allowed to smoke marijuana, not even those with debilitating injuries or sicknesses, the House decided Wednesday in a 60-40 vote. Legal use of medicinal marijuana may be OK in other states, but shouldn't be allowed in Montana, said opponents of House Bill 506. Supporters said marijuana helps people suffering from cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma and other diseases. "I would hope that we would allow people in pain an option," said Rep. Jesse Laslovich. "Now we are tying it up in politics and talk of wars on drugs. But that's not what it's about." The bill would have set up a registry for people who could prove each year that they needed the drug. It would have allowed them to grow up to 15 marijuana plants, but they could not sell it or use it in public places. Registrants would pay an annual fee that Rep. Ron Erickson, D-Missoula, the sponsor of the bill, estimated at several hundred dollars. "The people of this country want to be able to alleviate pain, alleviate pain through the use of medical marijuana," Erickson said. He said nine states have legalized medical marijuana. Fiscal analysts estimated that about 160 people would sign up in Montana for the program in the first year. "Fifteen plants is a hell of a lot of dope," said Rep. Scott Sales, R-Bozeman. "It's going to be given away, given to kids. This is going to be a horrible thing to control." Supporters said the measure, modeled after an Oregon law, had enough restrictions to control the drug's use. The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill last week on a 13-5 vote. But some committee members said they changed their minds after thinking about the message it would send kids. "What kind of message are we sending to our young?" said Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Hobson. "They could say grandpa voted for pot back in the Legislature." On The Net HB 506: http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/2003/billhtml/HB0506.htm Source: Associated PressPublished: Wednesday, February 26, 2003Copyright: 2003 Associated Press Related Articles & Web Site:Montana NORMLhttp://www.montananorml.org/Medical Marijuana Measure Backed http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15532.shtmlMedicinal Marijuana Clouds The Floor in Helena http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15517.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #10 posted by FoM on March 02, 2003 at 21:31:39 PT Atomic_Rat I agree and welcome to CNews. Here are two articles that back up what you posted.Bush Conflicted on Pot Legalization: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9191.shtmlBush: Marijuana Laws Up to States: http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread3373.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Atomic_Rat on March 02, 2003 at 11:51:05 PT Bush says states can decide issue... George Bush, during the 2000 presidential campaign, said he didn't see medical marijuana as warranting national attention. In October 1999, he told The Dallas Morning News that, with respect to medical marijuana, "each state can choose that decision as they so choose." [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on February 27, 2003 at 08:45:33 PT Hi Nicholas How are you? Hope you are getting dug out from all the snow. You know what? I have no idea if I'm conservative or liberal or right or left! I know I'm very conservative about many issues but liberal with issues like Cannabis. Boy am I weird I suppose! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Nicholas Thimmesch on February 27, 2003 at 08:37:50 PT: More on Montana....... .....of the conservative web site Free Republic: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/853163/posts http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/853163/posts [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Sam Adams on February 26, 2003 at 21:24:41 PT 60-40 60 to 40 is not bad at all for the first year! Considering that the only legislature in the US to pass it is Hawaii. Getting out of committee is excellent! I can only imagine the ignorance level and parochialism of most state legislators in Montana. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by aocp on February 26, 2003 at 19:44:55 PT it's already been said... "What kind of message are we sending to our young?" said Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Hobson. "They could say grandpa voted for pot back in the Legislature."Translation: "They could say grandpa voted for continued pain against those least able to ward such pain off." ... and all in the name of those least able to ward off such propaganda with effective debating strategies. Just plain wrong.Por la vida. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Ethan Russo MD on February 26, 2003 at 17:52:12 PT: It Isn't Over Our legislature is one of the most conservative in the nation. This result is what I expectedHave no fear. This issue is not over. We have polling data indicating public support of clinical cannabis of over 70%. We will take this to the voters of Montana in 2004, and we will win. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Max Flowers on February 26, 2003 at 16:09:25 PT You want to talk messages, senator? "Fifteen plants is a hell of a lot of dope," said Rep. Scott Sales, R-Bozeman. "It's going to be given away, given to kids. This is going to be a horrible thing to control." What idiotic scaremongering."What kind of message are we sending to our young?" said Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Hobson.Gee I don't know, let's see what kind of message do you think current policies are sending? I'd say they go something like the following:YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO DIE VOLENTLY IN BATTLE FOR US BUT YOU ARE A CHILD AND CAN'T BE TRUSTED TO USE ANY DRUGS OUTSIDE OF THE ONES WE SAY YOU CAN USEPLEASE DO KILL YOURSELF WITH THE ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO WHICH HAS OUR BLESSING, WE'LL EVEN HELP YOU BY HELPING THE ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO COMPANIES STAY RICH AND OBSCENELY POWERFUL.ANY INDEPENDENT THINKING YOU DO IS VERY DANGEROUS, BE LIKE YOUR PARENTS, SIDE WITH US BLINDLY (OR ELSE).WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMPASSION WHATSOEVER FOR ILL AND DYING PEOPLE AND THOSE IN SERIOUS PAIN, WE ARE A TYRANNICAL AND UNCARING OVERLORD WHO HAS NO PROBLEM HANDCUFFING OLD LADIES AND DYING AIDS PATIENTS AND STEALING AWAY THE MEDICINE THAT MAKES THEIR SURVIVAL POSSIBLE.Just guessing, but I'd say those are the types of messages our young people are getting these days.I'm so disgusted with these GOP pukes that I could go puke.MF [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by drfistusa on February 26, 2003 at 15:55:30 PT: better they go to Deerlodge prison what kind of message does sending a sick person or one on verge of blindness from glaucome to a prison to be exposed to AIDS, tuberculosis, rape, murder, etc. the message is , we are facists and we are mean as snakes. Montana is the only place I ever got into bar fights, they love the booze, like go to the bar everynight, GOOD MESSAGE! RIGHT??? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment