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.