Wednesday, February 10, 2010
More nuggets on the "green rush"
Posted by Matthew Frank on Wed, Feb 10, 2010 at 2:45 PM
Since our feature on Montana's booming medical marijuana industry went to press last week, a few more marijuana news items have come across our desk.
First, to update our story, we heard from Victor-based physician Chris Christensen, the doctor we profiled who specializes in pain management and often recommends medical marijuana to patients. We reported that the Idaho Board of Medicine, about a decade ago, charged Christensen with multiple felony counts of prescribing controlled substances outside the scope of a professional practice because of the volume of opiods he prescribed to his patients with chronic pain in the Silver Valley. Christensen called the day the story hit the stands to report that he was found innocent on all charges.
We also reported that, as a result of the charges, Christensen relinquished his ability to prescribe opioids for the rest of his career. That wasn't exactly accurate. He says he's given up his right to prescribe opiods until, he says, "I force the DEA to give me back my [license], and now that I've been found innocent, believe me, that's the next thing on my agenda."
Also last week (and as we report in Thursday's issue of the Indy), Missoula police raided a local nursing home after receiving a tip that an individual was selling marijuana to its residents. The suspected dealer, Taylor Gibbs, 22, was found to be a medical marijuana caregiver registered with the state, and no charges were filed.
Gibbs says on the morning of Feb. 3 a Missoula S.W.A.T. team and the Missoula Drug Enforcement Task Force came to Eagle Watch Estates on Missoula’s Westside and entered the residence of an individual for whom Gibbs serves as a caretaker (not a medical marijuana caregiver). The police then, Gibbs says, interviewed other residents in the facility. Gibbs says he serves as a medical marijuana caregiver for as many as 12 Eagle Watch residents, most of whom are elderly and ill.
According to Missoula Police Chief Mark Muir, the police didn’t know if Gibbs, founder of Timeless Caregivers, was a registered caregiver or not. Muir says the drug trafficking tip came from an Eagle Watch staffer.
“Some of the initial information was that we didn’t know if he did have [a caregiver card],” Muir says, “so when they first went to talk to him, they were assuming he didn’t have one. But he later did provide them with identification that helped straighten that up.”
Police found no wrongdoing, but Gibbs says damage was done. He claims the resident for whom he was caretaking when police arrived severed ties with him, fearful that Gibbs’ association with medical marijuana could lead to other incidents. Gibbs also says he lost medical marijuana patients at Eagle Watch because they’re now “just a little too afraid.”
“It’s not a good feeling to be bombarded by bullies,” he says.
After the incident Gibbs threatened Muir with court action on the basis that the police officers involved acted inappropriately.
“Nothing has shown itself to be blatantly wrong in the officers’ conduct,” Muir says, “but I’ve only scratched the surface, so I don’t know.”
I asked Muir if the incident was an example of the department focusing on the "wild west" nature of the "green rush."
“No, absolutely not," he said. "We were just responding to a complaint by citizens.”
Muir went on to say that he thinks about a third of all individuals in Missoula who have acquired medical marijuana cards have "misrepresented" their medical conditions. "It's a farce," he said.
Interestingly, Muir also said that if caregivers are making a profit they must have a business license. It came as news to us, and it would, we suspect, come as news to the some 250 registered caregivers in Missoula County who don't have business licenses but might, or at least eventually hope to, make a profit.
In other medical marijuana news, Hamilton will soon have its first medical marijuana shop.
Lewiston has joined Whitefish and Great Falls in placing a moratorium on medical marijuana shops.
And, randomly, WeedMaps.com, a medical marijuana dispensary directory website, has established 420Properties.com, designed to help medical marijuana patients in California, Colorado, Oregon, Michigan and Montana find cannabis friendly landlords.
Comments (9)
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"Muir went on to say that he thinks about a third of all individuals in Missoula who have acquired medical marijuana cards have "misrepresented" their medical conditions. "It's a farce," he said."
Speaking of "farce" . . . The biggest farce of all is the 73 year prohibition of a very miraculous and versatile plant that many have falsely labeled as a drug. (It can be used as a drug, but so can sex, work, exercise, gambling, shopping, etc.)
And I, along with many other cannabis users, are "coming out of the closet", and are done Living the Lie.
I can no longer pretend that cannabis is a drug.
I can no longer hide and act as if I am doing a criminal act just because I choose to partake of a little piece of HARMLESS PLANT BUD. (no different than a rose hip, a cammomile bud, etc.)
I will no longer feel fear when I am asked for a piss test.
I will no longer teach my grandchildren the lie about cannabis.
I can no longer LIVE the LIE.
It is time for everyone to come out of the closet and start living the truth about cannabis. . . Because it is breaking free. (finally! GO California!) The truth . . .Cannabis is a plant . . . a very miraculous, versatile, beneficial PLANT that can help save our economy.
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"Muir went on to say that he thinks about a third of all individuals in Missoula who have acquired medical marijuana cards have "misrepresented" their medical conditions. "It's a farce," he said."
And Muir is qualified to make this assumption because he is a doctor? Because he has reviewed and investigated all these supposed 'misrepresented' licenses? No, he says this because he is the typical drug warrior, and what he simply 'thinks' trumps anything a doctor, who has gone through 10+ years of education, has to say on the subject. Muir probably only has a GED or high school diploma. But he is doing it for the children! And that makes his ignorance and incompetence ok, right?
Love the comments! Since when is a SWAT necessary to arrest pot smokers? Ridiculous.
SWAT is a joke they came up in my house found a half ounce of marijuaua and after everything was said and done i got 20 years on parole so tell me, IS THAT A FARCE??????????????????????
And since when did the public give Mr. Muir the discretionary power usually reserved for people who have advanced degrees. Last I checked, the average iq is 104 for cops, so where the heck does he get off telling us what is "misrepresented" or not? Maybe if he breeds with a high iq pot smoker their offspring will have a high iq and then I'd trust their "statements" about what is misrepresented. 104? Come on, that is barely average, let alone someone whose OPINION I'd listen to.
We were the first to make a movie on the subject. Before CNBC's "Marijuana Inc." there is "The Green Rush."
http://www.hulu.com/the-green-rush
It is available on HULU for free! See what it's like to be an outdoor marijuana grower in California. Many reviews, awards, discussions on the hottest topic in American politics.
Sadly, this is happening in our state way to often, police cannot be policed, there is no agency to go to when our police have stepped out of line. Also a simple call to the health department would have shown that he was registered. This info is available to law enforcement yet apparently a S.W.A.T. response is required to confirm this. And the worst part is our law makers don't care how the police handle these situations, no law makers will fight for our rights that we have earned. Where are the sanctions on these officers who responded with aggressive display of force. There won't be any, as I am learning here in Helena, the law is for the rich and if your poor don't expect justice.
Hey speaking of a different green......
muir how many cops idle thier cars while they eat or take breaks.......
15 v-8 engines that burn alot of fossil fuel and polute the enviroment.....
oh and what happened to only 2-4 officers break together.....we all see your officers hide their cars at mullan so it looks like only a few.....all cars idling during this hour long stratagy planning....
lame
yesterday I saw an armored personel vehicle marked police and sherriff
wtf is that.......
probably fresh off a marijuana raid.....
ruling by intimidation.......does not make for trust....or confidance
ask muir if he serves on any fbi commitee's
he is a fed in locals clothing....that does not keep officers in check in fact openly encourages roughian behavior....the mayor and all have his back.......at the cost of a few citizens inalienable rights.....
make cheif an elected position........because he would not get elected and if so would not be here for long...
INSTEAD OF HIDING ALL THE OFFICER MISDEEDS WHICH ARE PLENTY.....
LETS TRY SOME TRANSPEARANCY......
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