Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 89 State voters still weren't happy, though. During the general election in November of 2016, 57% of voters pivoted to support I-182, a new medi- cal marijuana law meant to remove harmful provisions and establish basic regulatory structures for medical marijuana providers and busi- nesses. In the wake of I-182's passage, about 30,000 patients throughout Montana registered as new medical cannabis users. Don't get too comfortable, though — Montana's medical cannabis laws are far from settled. e next 18 months promise more sweeping changes to our state's already chaotic cannabis regulations. THE END OF "TETHERING" COMES IN 2020 roughout Montana's medical marijuana history, medical marijuana pa- tients in Montana have been "tethered" to a single dispensary. For example, a patient living in Bozeman but traveling to Kalispell could not refresh their supply in the Flathead Valley if their designated provider was Bozeman. Restrictive by nature, the practice of "tethering" has forced people to turn to the black market for their marijuana needs, perpetuating the ille- gal marijuana market and causing frustration for card-carrying patients. Fortunately, that changed this year. In May of 2019, the Montana state legislature passed a law that allows medical marijuana patients to do busi- ness with any dispensary in the state. Under the new system, Montana will have a network of providers established in an easy-to-navigate system. People who are traveling or want to work with a different provider will have the freedom to consult the list and select the best option for them. is serves a few important purposes. In addition to making it easier for patients to access medical marijuana services, it also allows providers to focus more specifically on the things they excel at. In other words, one provider can specialize in developing edibles, while another can sell high-potency flowers. When patients are relieved from the burden of re- lying on just a single provider for all their medical needs, everyone wins. With the passage of the new law, Montana citizens will now be able to purchase up to five ounces of cannabis each month, and the tax on cannabis purchases will increase from 2% to 4%. In addition to the end of tethering, voters are likely to consider one or two statewide initiatives that look at adult-use legalization in Novem- ber of 2020. Despite all the changes surrounding medical marijuana legalization, the long-standing restrictions on advertising remain the same. Providers are still prohibited from advertising their services in any medium, including digital platforms. THE FUNDS TO SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT As cannabis laws continue to transition, Montana must generate the funds to enforce them. Historically, this has been a sticking point for our state. In addition to struggling to raise enforcement funds, Montana has found it difficult to uphold its medical marijuana laws. Massive state medical providers, for example, have spent years out of compliance with state rules and suffered few consequences as a result. As Montana moves into a new medical marijuana structure, state laws will shift to support more inspectors on the ground and more financial support for compliance. Senate Bill 265 is one excellent example. is bill raises taxes (from 2% to 4%) on marijuana sold in the Big Sky State, effective as of October 1, 2019. e additional revenue generated from this change will fund enforce- ment efforts as well as education surrounding alternative pain manage- ment, targeted primarily at people seeking opioid recovery treatment. WILL MONTANA GO RECREATIONAL? In addition to changing medical marijuana legislation, Montana is also facing questions about whether the state should legalize recreational marijuana in the future. So, will they or won't they? It depends on who you ask. Currently, state election officials are considering a recreational mari- juana initiative for inclusion on the 2020 ballot. Submitted on June 28 by an organization called MontanaCan, the Marijuana Regulation Act, or Ballot Issue No. 5, seeks to legalize recreational marijuana use and provide a roadmap for the state's duties in facilitating the industry. e bill would also establish tax revenue policies. At the time of this writing, the initiative is still working to gather the 25,000 signatures needed to obtain consideration by voters, although polling suggests most Montanans support the legalization of recreation- al marijuana. According to one University of Montana study, 50.5% of 293 responses supported legalization, while only 37.4 opposed it. THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN MONTANA Ask most of the medical providers in Montana, and they'll tell you that they look forward to the state's changing regulations. While the laws are far from settled and still present their share of drawbacks, many medical marijuana providers believe the state is moving in the direction of extending better service for patients and expanding care. For citizens tracking the progress of medical marijuana in the Big Sky State, only one thing is sure: change is the only constant. When patients are relieved FROM THE BURDEN OF RELYING ON JUST A SINGLE PROVIDER FOR ALL THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS, EVERYONE WINS. MONTANA CBD PROVIDERS 406 CBD 406cbd.com (406) 204-5555 REMEDY MONTANA 2825 Stockyard Road Suite A-9, Missoula remedymontana.com (406) 541-8253

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