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Group Sues Great Falls to try and Prevent City From Enacting Medical Marijuana Ban

By KFBB News Team

Story Created: Jun 22, 2010 at 9:30 PM MST

Story Updated: Jun 22, 2010 at 11:52 PM MST

The issue of medical marijuana has become a confusing and controversial topic across the state of Montana and now one local group is suing Great Falls, to try and prevent the city from enacting a ban on medical marijuana on July 1st.

Montanans for Responsible Legislation, a non-profit group, serves as an advocate for medical marijuana patients in the state. Their lawsuit against the city comes just three weeks after the Great Falls city commission voted to ban all medical marijuana businesses within city limits. The ban is just days away from taking effect.

The group says there are many folks that legitimately need medical marijuana that can not grow it or travel to get it. The group is trying to get a temporary restraining order or injunction, to prevent the city from enacting the ban.

Douglas Chyatte from Montanans for Responsible Legislation
tells NewsChannel 5, "We tried to work with the elected officials and they seem to be subject to some of the political pressure. Unfortunately, there's an issue of medical necessity and these people simple cannot afford to wait any longer. They're suffering, they're in pain and it's going to continue to get worse."

This is just the first of many lawsuits. The group plans to file more lawsuits across the state in the next few weeks.

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Anonymous said on Tuesday, Apr 5 at 5:33 AM

STOP CALLING IT MOCKERY OF THE LAW! I keep hearing over and over there are 28,oooooooooo whatever card holders. That people are scamming the system. Not!! First off try looking at it from a different perspective, if thats possible{some folks are incompetent}Dont look at it as an illegal drug.Look at it as a natural healing ailment.It helps people.It does'nt alter your mind to where you can not function normally.The epidimic in this state is perscription drugs thats killing and harming folks.Stop saying 28,ooo people are scamming.So what if it helps a headache.It helps and it's natural,safe and will not kill you!There are going to be many more patients, get use to it. The situation has'nt spiraled out of control .A more informed generation has evolved.[internet] The truth is in all your faces.Stop lying to your children.Pot is good for ailments. And a tremendous boost to our economy. A pure and natural gold rush.That really helps people.Thats why such a high demand for green cards. It w

Ed S said on Thursday, Jun 24 at 1:21 AM

Anyone who does not back up medical marijuana and outright legalization is a huge threat to our future..Marijuana is a huge business...why not make it work for us? Why not tax it? I'm going to smoke all day every day regardless of law. Marijuana is a harmless herb...it saved my life. I am a disabled vet who suffers from chronic pain and PTSD..pharmys took me down a terible road.....Marijuana did not...it is organic medicine for our organic bodies. Biofuel, half the price of cotton, more uses than any pharmaceutical...who stands to lose..Americans, or big American businesses? The stigma about MJ is small minded govt propaganda passed down through generations of people who thought they could trust the govt........ we know better now. Yes OHIO HB 478 ....OHIO MEDICAL COMPASSION ACT.

jacs said on Wednesday, Jun 23 at 2:59 PM

Really? "pot makes the world a better place"...LOL how much have you been smokin? To me they should have NEVER started this! You have TOO many "pot heads" who are going to abuse this just like the drug - I believe there is no ACTUAL medical reason to use marijuana - yeah it might help pain for the moment- just like a pain killer. But there are more studies showin it does more harm then good- just because it is natural DOESNT mean it is good for u! I think that there are people that ACTUALLY need it -these people are makin a profit sitting on their "butt" at home smokin all day long and selling their home grown pot. HUMMM- and I wonder why our unemployment rate it rising? Why wouldnt a pot head want to sit around instead of getting a job! Sorry not all are like that but a majority are...

Rechelle said on Wednesday, Jun 23 at 2:42 PM

Pot isn't that bad of a drug. It makes the world a better place, less violence, music sounds better, conversations are better, food is better, everything is better. It helps people feel better and not be in pain. I do think the laws should be a little more strict but all the same it should be legalized.

Misty Carey said on Wednesday, Jun 23 at 2:15 PM

The genesis of the problem that we are having in the state is that most of the doctors practicing in the state are either afraid or outright prohibited from recommending medical marijuana. If primary physicians would become educated and freed from the shackles of their hospital administrations, the issue of the medpot traveling clinics and the younger, more controversial patient base would be resolved.

Fred said on Wednesday, Jun 23 at 1:24 PM

The problem I have with the whole thing is that too many people are abusing the system. We have young kids getting cards cause they paid $25 to sit through a class. If you saw the group that was protesting near the civic center a month ago, you can see the abuse going on. None of them looked sick, but all looked a little sketchy. I encourage the ban.

Aloysius P. McSnapps said on Wednesday, Jun 23 at 12:31 PM

Finally, a backlash against the backlash. This Neo-Reefer Madness is out-of-hand. I applaud cities such as Livingston, whose council opted for specific zoning of MMJ businesses rather than outright ban. Perhaps better to embrace the economic (and humanitarian) benefits rather than waste valuable taxpayer resources slaying windmills on street, and now in the courts. Bravo!

Lisa Evans said on Wednesday, Jun 23 at 12:10 PM

While I believe the state opened a flood gate here. I think there many legitimate patients, However, I am against every Tom Dick and Harry get a lic to sell, or smoke. For instants, I do know of persons who have criminal records and are selling legally. I dont agree, if you have a criminal history, you should not be able to sell. Then there are ages anywhere from 18 on up smoking from anything like eye ticks to restless leg, come on, can you smell the smoke here? There should be stronger rules and regulations.

Justin Michels said on Wednesday, Jun 23 at 11:23 AM

How much more of our taxpayer money will be uselessly spent fighting against a plant that has been considered medicine for thousands of years? Prohibition in general is a terrible idea, something I think we all learned about in school and from watching "The Untouchables" Along with suing the city, might I also suggest that we get a speaker from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition to come to town and educate local lawmakers on the necessity of substantial drug policy reform. There's only one real way to end this mess: scrap the failed prohibition of some drugs. Then maybe we can afford to educate our children, and possibly even find a better energy source than petroleum...

buck said on Wednesday, Jun 23 at 11:21 AM

Excellent! It's about time someone came forward, the will of the people is being ignored as a result of a tiny group that is hell-bent on getting thier way. I'm sorry, but that is not the way this system of ours is supposed to work. When a law is passed, it's the responsiblity of our government to apply it, not find a way out of it because they disagree. that's simple mob rule, our forefathers warned us against it when they wrote the constitution.

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