[420 Girl]

The mayor of Belgrade said Monday the city would not consider suing the state over a proposed revision to the Medical Marijuana Act.

Last week, the state legislature's medical marijuana subcommittee passed a revision to the act which would prohibit cities from banning marijuana businesses.

The Belgrade City Council passed such a city-wide ban in July. This left one Main Street store, Honest John's Farmacy, grandfathered in. Belgrade Mayor Russell Nelson said he imagines a lot of lobbying and discussion may alter that revision before it is adopted by the 2011 legislature. But he said if it does pass, the city would not battle the state.

"We (would) want to play by what the rules are," Nelson said, adding he would want guidance from the legislature on how to proceed.

"I think Belgrade's afraid that we're going to have a store on every corner and that's what we want to try to avoid," he said.

The proposed revision will go before the full Children, Family, Health and Human Services Interim Committee at the end of the month.

The medical marijuana subcommittee said in passing the revision that they do not want to see a patchwork state where businesses are allowed in some places and not others. The subcommittee said the law was passed by statewide voters and the power to regulate marijuana should remain with the state.

Also, the Montana League of Cities and Towns asked legislators to clarify the authority local governments have in regulating medical marijuana issues.

MT representative Diane Sands of Missoula told the subcommittee, "The issue is predominantly creating an expressed permission for local governement, counties, cities and towns to enact everything from business licensing to zoning to ordinances. They are feeling unsure at this point that they have that expressed right."


NewsHawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: KBZK.com
Author: Dan Boyce
Copyright: 2010 KBZK.com
Contact: KBZK
Website: Mayor: Belgrade won't sue state if marijuana business ban deemed illegal


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