It’s official, I-182 is going to be on the ballot in November! With over the required 25,000 signatures, I-182 will be presented to the voters and it’s up to Montanans to decide to pass the initiative. This ballot item will provide a way for legal patients to have safe and reliable access to medicinal marijuana. We are heading in the right direction, offering Montana constituents the right to choose, and giving Montana medical marijuana patients a reason to celebrate!
However, our work is not done. Educating the voting populace on this ballot issue and spreading the word is extremely important to create a meaningful impact for this election, and future rights issues in Montana. Once voters truly realize the number and breadth of citizens in our state who are suffering from the many diseases and sicknesses that medical marijuana has been known to help, they will be able to make better informed decisions at the polls.
If you haven’t heard yet, the current medicinal marijuana program in Bozeman is being severely limited at the end of August2016 (that’s next month). Providers will essentially be forced to close their doors until the new initiative is passed and becomes law.
I-182 will provide a more transparent regulation system of medical marijuana in Montana, and will also seek to make the medicine safer with unannounced inspections of medical marijuana facilities, as well as a way to test medical marijuana for molds and pesticides to make sure the best quality medicine is available for the patients who need it.
I-182 will also allow for Montanans who have post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to be eligible to be prescribed medical marijuana to help with their suffering. Now it will be possible for our veterans who have fought for our country and suffer from PTSD to have access to the medicine that will help them.
Also in the news, I-176 the Montana Drug Prohibition Initiative has fallen short of the required signatures needed to get on the ballot. Currently the initiative is 4,000 signatures short of being qualified. This is good news for those who believe in medicinal marijuana as I-176 would make all forms of medical marijuana illegal in Montana.
Give yourselves a pat on the back Montana, we are doing well in the race to support our fellow citizens, let’s continue to fight for our rights and spread the word to vote YES on I-182 in November.