Montana Court: Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Can Immediately Begin Serving Patients

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NORML | December 15, 2016

HELENA, MT — Voter-initiated changes in law governing the operation of medical cannabis providers may take effect ahead of the measure’s June 30, 2017 implementation date, according to a court ruling.

Fifty-six percent of Montana voters approved I-182 on Election Day, which expands patients’ access to medical cannabis. However, a drafting error in the measure delays implementation of the new law until the end of June.

Last week, a Helena District Court Judge…

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Montana Court Rules Medical Marijuana Providers Can Start Helping More Patients Immediately

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In an important new development in Montana, District Court Judge James Reynolds ruled Wednesday that medical marijuana providers may serve more than three patients starting immediately. This is welcome news to over 11,000 patients who may now re-establish critical access to medical marijuana. Without the ruling, severe limitations for patients would not have been removed until July of 2017. Following today’s decision, there is no need for delay.2000px-flag_of_montana-svg
Voters in Montana adopted I-182 in November, undoing many harmful provisions in the state…

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Comprehensive Medical Marijuana Bill Introduced in Texas

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On Dec. 6, Texas Senator Menéndez (D-San Antonio) pre-filed SB 269, a comprehensive medical cannabis bill. If passed, this legislation will bring safe and legal access to Texas patients with debilitating medical conditions like cancer, PTSD, chronic pain, and Crohn’s disease, among others.txas-map-flag

Last year, Texas passed the Compassionate Use Act, which was intended to allow access to low-THC cannabis for those with intractable epilepsy. Sen. Menéndez’s bill will make several improvements, including fixing a fatal flaw in the bill, allowing…

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Voters In Eight States Approve Marijuana Law Reform In Unprecedented Election Victories

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NORML | November 10, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC — Millions of Americans cast votes on Election Day in favor of sweeping statewide marijuana law reforms.

Voters in four states: California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada approved ballot measures legalizing the adult use of cannabis and licensing its commercial production and retail sale. Voters in four additional states: Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota approved initiatives legalizing and/or expanding the use and dispensing of cannabis for therapeutic…

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Huge Victory for Medical Marijuana Patients in Montana

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This is the second time Montana’s voters moved marijuana policy forward. In 2004, Montana became the tenth state to adopt a medical marijuana measure. In 2011, lawmakers replaced it with an intentionally unworkable system. Thankfully, voters yesterday weighed in and restored patients’ medical cannabis access.182

This key victory comes after years of court battles over the state’s harsh 2011 law. Among other things, the existing law limited providers to three patients and required the state in initiate an investigation into any doctor…

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Marijuana Wins Big: California, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada Legalize; Medical Marijuana Sweeps 4 States; Arizona Only Defeat

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The Daily Chronic Staff | November 9, 2016

3:00 AM EST: Maine appears to have approved Question 1, legalizing marijuana for adults.  The measure, which had slowly been losing an early lead all evening, has pulled through with 50.6% of the vote and 87.1% of precincts reporting.  Earlier, voters in nearby Massachusetts approved their legalization measure as well.

The only defeat of the evening came in Arizona, where Proposition 205, which would have legalized marijuana for adults, was defeated.

1:59 AM…

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Voters Approve Montana Medical Marijuana Initiative

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Danielle Keane | November 9, 2016

According to polling information, voters in Montana will approve Initiative 182, the Montana Medical Marijuana Initiative. The Associated Press currently has the measure leading 56 percent to 44 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…

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California and Massachusetts Become 5th and 6th States to Legalize, Regulate, and Tax Marijuana for Adult Use; Florida, North Dakota, and Arkansas Become 26th, 27th, and 28th States to Legalize Medical Marijuana

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Marijuana Policy Project | November 9, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC — Voters in California and Massachusetts have approved ballot initiatives to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for adult use, and voters in Florida, North Dakota, and Arkansas have approved medical marijuana programs.

Initiatives to regulate and tax marijuana for adult use are leading in Nevada and Maine and trailing in Arizona. An initiative is leading in Montana that would restore patient access to medical marijuana providers and create a more…

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California & Massachusetts Legalize Marijuana; Maine & Nevada Winning; Arizona Losing; 3 States Approve Medical Marijuana

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The Daily Chronic Staff | November 8, 2016

11:45 PM EST: Voters in Massachusetts have legalized marijuana, approving Question 4 with 53.4% of the vote.

11:38 PM EST: Voters in California have approved legalizing marijuana. Currently with 54.8% of the vote and 11% reporting, both the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times are declaring a victory for Amendment 64.  Meanwhile, voters in Arkansas have approved medical marijuana, with 52.2% approval and 61.8% reporting.  Legalization measures in Maine and…

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Marijuana Vote Results: Florida Passes Medical Marijuana Amendment 2; Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, South Dakota Marijuana Iniatives All Ahead

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The Daily Chronic Staff | November 8, 2016

9:15 PM EST: Polls in Arkansas, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts and South Dakota have all closed.  Florida has approved medical marijuana Amendment 2.  Legalization measures in Maine and Massachusetts, as well as medical marijuana initiatives in Arkansas and South Dakota, are all out to early leads:

Arkansas: 51.3% in favor, with .2% reporting
Florida: 71.1% in favor, with 76.5% reporting (approved)
Maine: 53.4% in favor, with 4.6% reporting
Massachusetts: 50.8% in favor, with…

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Election Day Voter Guides

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Today is the day! This is the biggest election in marijuana policy reform history, but even if you can’t vote on a legalization or medical marijuana ballot initiative today, you could play an important part to make future progress possible in your state.logo-mpp-286-mpp-and-we-change-laws

Before you vote, please check out MPP’s voter guides if you live in the following places:

Delaware

District of Columbia

Illinois

Nebraska

New Hampshire

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Vermont

And don’t forget to tell your friends in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Maine,

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Latest Polling Information for the 2016 Marijuana Related Ballot Proposals

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Danielle Keane | November 5, 2016

On Tuesday, November 8, nine states will be voting on marijuana related ballot proposals potentially doubling the number of states that allow the recreational use of marijuana and expanding the therapeutic benefits of marijuana use to millions of Americans. Here’s where these measures stand in the latest polls.

Arizona: According to an October Arizona Republic/Morrison/Cronkite poll, 50 percent of registered voters in Arizona favor Proposition 205 and 42 percent oppose it. The…

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Election 2016: Marijuana Law Reform Takes Center Stage

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Drug Policy Alliance | November 2, 2016

This Election Day is shaping up to be a watershed moment for efforts to end marijuana prohibition, with five states voting on marijuana legalization and four more on medical marijuana. The results are expected to have major ramifications for marijuana law reform in states across the U.S., at the federal level, and even internationally.

A recent nationwide Gallup poll found that a record 60 percent of respondents support legalizing marijuana, but polls on this year’s…

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Week in Review: Dueling Ballot Measures, MT Dispensaries Close, New York Aims for Reform

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By John Schroyer

Arkansas makes what could be an offbeat piece of medical marijuana history, Montana’s MMJ industry comes to at least a temporary end, and New York officials look to bolster the state’s medical cannabis industry.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

Two for the Price of One?

Arkansas will be an interesting state to watch on Election Day.

It’s apparently the first state to have a pair of competing medical marijuana legalization measures on the ballot vying for…

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Montana Dispensaries Close Doors in Response to New Curbs

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Montana’s medical marijuana dispensaries closed their doors in response to new restrictions Wednesday limiting each storefront to just three patients, a move that forced them out of business, the Associated Press reported.

Now the dispensaries must look to voters for a new lease on life. Local residents will go to the polls in November and vote on an initiative backed by the Montana Cannabis Industry Association that aims to legalize the MMJ industry.

MJBizCrashCourseThe restrictions took effect in response to a long-delayed 2011 state law that has now…

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Majority of Montana Medical Marijuana Patients to Lose Access

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The state of Montana’s nearly 12-year history with medical marijuana takes a turn for the worse on September 1, when most medical marijuana patients are expected lose legal access. After years of court challenges which delayed implementation, most of the state’s 2011 law will be in effect, severely limiting the number of people available to provide medical marijuana to patients.2000px-Montana-StateSeal.svg

Under the newly-enforced law, providers may only serve three patients — a change that state agency officials estimate could leave as many as 10,000…

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Montana MMJ Dispensaries May Stay Closed Until Next June

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Organizers of a ballot initiative to reverse a Montana law that will shutter the state’s medical cannabis dispensaries may have accidentally set their effort back by six months, owing to a mistake in the measure’s wording.

If so, dispensaries wouldn’t be reopened until next June – assuming Montana voters approve the initiative, the Associated Press reported. That would be a blow to the dispensary owners and the customers they serve.

Due to a “clerical error” in the language of I-182, as the measure is known, a limit of three…

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These 4 States Will Be Voting on Medical Marijuana in November

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These 4 States Will Be Voting on Medical Marijuana in November

Will medical marijuana go four for four this year? It seems likely, but we’re going to have to wait for November 8 to know for sure.

It’s been 20 years since California punched through pot prohibition and became the first state to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. Now, 23 states have medical marijuana laws, and more than a dozen more have taken the half-step of legalizing the medicinal use of cannabidiol (CBD) only—not raw marijuana.

While some of the early medical marijuana states have now moved on to full legalization—and…

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No Clemency for Montana Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

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A Montana judge has denied a last-ditch appeal to postpone the closure of medical marijuana dispensaries until after the November election, meaning the state’s dispensaries will either all shutter after Aug. 31 or risk the wrath of law enforcement.

District Judge James Reynolds ruled that a previous decision by the state Supreme Court – which upheld a 2011 law that Montana MMJ caregivers be limited to three patients apiece – should take effect as scheduled at the end of the month, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

The practical…

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Separating Myth From Fact: DPA Releases New Marijuana Facts Booklet

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Separating Myth From Fact: DPA Releases New Marijuana Facts Booklet

Report Addresses Most Commonly-Asked Questions About Marijuana Use and Its Mfor Historic Votes on Marijuana Law Reform this November

The Drug Policy Alliance on Thursday released Marijuana Facts, intended for non-expert audiences seeking answers to some of the most common questions asked about marijuana use, its effects, and the rapidly-shifting legal landscape.

The booklet addresses 15 frequently-asked questions about subjects such as driving, mental health, brain development, potency, edibles and concentrates.  It touches on marijuana’s…

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2016 Marijuana-Related Statewide Ballot Proposals

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2016 Marijuana-Related Statewide Ballot Proposals

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: 2016 is set to be a monumental year for marijuana law reform. There are currently nine pending ballot initiatives to either legalize adult marijuana use or to legalize the use of medical marijuana for qualifying medical conditions. The country could double the number of states that allow the recreational use of marijuana and could potentially expand the therapeutic benefits of marijuana use to millions of Americans come November.

Find below a summary of each of these pending initiatives, links…

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Montana Medical Marijuana Restoration Initiative Qualifies for November Ballot

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Montana Medical Marijuana Restoration Initiative Qualifies for November Ballot

Montana voters will decide this November on a statewide initiative to restore and expand elements of the state’s medical cannabis program.

The Secretary of State’s office has affirmed that initiative proponents, Montana Citizens for I-182, submitted sufficient signatures from registered voters to qualify the measure for the November ballot.

The Montana Medical Marijuana Act (I-182) amends the state’s existing law to expand the pool of patients eligible to access cannabis therapy and removes certain restrictions on recommending…

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Montana, Massachusetts Marijuana Initiatives Make Ballot

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A recreational marijuana legalization initiative in Massachusetts and a measure to fully legalize medical dispensaries in Montana both qualified for the 2016 general election ballot this week.

The Massachusetts measure will appear on the ballot as Question 4, according to a statement from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. The secretary of state notified the campaign on Monday it had made the ballot, after overcoming a recent court challenge.

The Montana measure, known as Initiative 182, was certified for the ballot on…

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U.S. Supreme Court Won’t Hear Montana Dispensary Appeal

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Montana dispensaries hoping for a last-ditch miracle from the U.S. Supreme Court were treated to a bitter disappointment Monday with the news that the justices had declined to hear their case.

The Associated Press reported that the justices let stand a Montana Supreme Court ruling that in effect regulates the state’s medical cannabis industry out of business.

While the high court’s decision wasn’t a surprise, a spokeswoman for the Montana Cannabis Industry Association (MTCIA) said in a statement the organization is “disappointed,”…

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Justices reject appeal over medical marijuana in Montana

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In this photo taken June 2, 2016, medical marijuana grows at Jeff Smith's and Cassie Heckenkamp's property along the McKenzie River east of Springfield, Ore. The pair had hoped to expand the grow operation on their property with a large recreational marijuana crop, but zoning rules won't allow it. (Andy Nelson/The Register-Guard via AP)
The Supreme Court won’t hear an appeal challenging a Montana law that limits medical marijuana providers to selling the drug to a maximum of three patients each.

The Supreme Court won’t hear an appeal challenging a Montana law that limits medical marijuana providers to selling the drug to a maximum of three patients each.

The justices on Monday let stand a Montana Supreme Court ruling that upheld key provisions of a state law that rolled back much of the 2004 voter-approved initiative…

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Montana Supreme Court Upholds Legislative Changes to Medical Marijuana Law

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Montana Supreme Court Upholds Legislative Changes to Medical Marijuana Law

Lawmakers passed legislation in 2011 to roll back the state’s medical marijuana program, which voters initially approved in 2004. Those changes have been subject to legal challenges ever since.

HELENA, MT — The Supreme Court of Montana has upheld a number of legislative amendments to the state’s voter-approved medical cannabis law.

Lawmakers passed legislation in 2011 to roll back the program, which voters initially approved in 2004. Those changes have been subject to legal challenges ever since.

Specifically, the Court upheld…

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