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Lewistown Places Emergency 90-Day Moratorium on Any New Medical Marijuana Businesses

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: Feb 8, 2010 at 10:38 PM MST

Story Updated: Feb 8, 2010 at 10:40 PM MST

Great Falls is not the only place in Montana where medical marijuana has become a hot topic for city officials and local residents.
Lewistown has declared an emergency six month moratorium on any medical marijuana businesses looking to set up shop within the city. It prohibits the opening, operation, and licensing of any new establishments that grow, sell, or distribute medical marijuana.

Lewistown currently has one legally operating medical marijuana dispensary that opened at the beginning of the year. The Lewistown city commission says that shop can stay open for business because the owner obtained a license to operate before the moratorium went into effect.

Commissioners say the moratorium will not stop licensed patients from growing and using their own marijuana, and it still allows registered caregivers to provide medical marijuana to their patients.

But some patients say they are opposed to the moratorium and the six month time frame is too long. But City Commissioners say city staff needs time to figure out how they can better regulate medical marijuana businesses within the city. Commissioners say they may not need the entire six month moratorium if decisions are made quickly.

The number of people in Montana using medical marijuana has grown rapidly over the years. Statistics show that by 2008, about 1,200 Montanans had obtained medical marijuana cards. But that figure exploded by 2010. More than 7,000 Montanans are now registered medical marijuana patients.

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Storm Crow said on Tuesday, Feb 9 at 4:21 PM

Before you can make an informed decision about anything, you need to know the facts! You should get those facts from reliable sources like PubMed and medical journals. I've done all the tedious searching for you- just run a search for "Granny Storm Crow's MMJ Reference List" for hundreds of links to medical studies. Educate yourself about this safe healing herb. Don't be uninformed! Learn the scientific facts about cannabis. Thank you.

Storm Crow said on Tuesday, Feb 9 at 4:05 PM

Before you make an informed decision about anything, you need to know the facts! I have gathered hundreds of links to scientific studies and articles about medical cannabis use. Please run a search for "Granny Storm Crow's MMJ Reference List" and start your education about this safe healing herb! Please base your decision about cannabis on the actual facts, not rumors or decades-old misinformation. Thank you.

Tayln Lang said on Tuesday, Feb 9 at 10:32 AM

One More Moratorium... This just makes it more difficult for patients to get their medicine and forces patients to go to unregistered, unlicensed home-based businesses... Wouldn't the community rather have a store front which is easy to regulate rather than a dozen home based dispensaries operating under the radar? Patients will continue to get their medicine, it is just a matter of from where....

The Healing Center Montana said on Tuesday, Feb 9 at 8:58 AM

biz owner call me I will explain all.........

Business Owner said on Tuesday, Feb 9 at 8:16 AM

I am still confused about medical marijuana. If I have an anti-drug policy in my business and one of my employees comes to work under the influence, they will most likely be terminated. How does having a medical card change the fact that they are still under the influence? In addition are these patients protected under any penalty of the law if they are pulled over and found to have marijuana in their system. Does it impair their judgment. Please explain if possible.

The Healing Center Montana said on Tuesday, Feb 9 at 8:02 AM

Lets see......... There is ONE collective for patients to get there organic meds.......... How many pharmacies do you have there shoving chemicals down ouw throats. What BS !!!!!! Looks like we get to sue Lewistown next. We will be going for monetary damages from the city. We think a class action lawsuit against the city is best. Please contact me @ 581-8712 to join in lawsuit!

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