Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Poll: Montanans oppose repeal of Medical Marijuana Act
Posted by Matthew Frank on Tue, Feb 22, 2011 at 11:05 AM
Poll results released today by Patients and Families United suggest that about three out of four Montanans support either more strict regulation of the state's Medical Marijuana Program or no change to it at all, while only 20 percent support the outright repeal of the program.
The findings appear to conflict with the mood in Montana's Capitol. The Senate will soon take up a bill that would repeal the Montana Medical Marijuana Act. The House passed the measure on Monday by a vote of 62-37. This despite the fact that 62 percent of Montana voters approved the law in 2004.
Public Policy Polling conducted the poll on behalf of Patients and Families United, a group that lobbies the Montana Legislature for marijuana patients' rights. Find the group's press release below, and the full poll results here (PDF).
A statewide poll conducted last weekend found that a sizeable majority of adult Montanans — 63% — still supports allowing medical marijuana, and most would support strict new regulations. But, in stark contrast, very few — only 20% — supports current proposals to repeal the state’s compassionate medical marijuana law, it was announced today.As a general principle, not specific to medical marijuana, only 24% of Montanans believes any initiative adopted by a strong majority of voters should be repealed by the Legislature.
The telephone poll of 2,212 Montanans was conducted last Saturday and Sunday by Public Policy Polling of Raleigh, North Carolina, for Patients & Families United (PFU), a Montana public education support group for medical cannabis and pain patients. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 2.1%.
“Slightly more than the 62% of voters who adopted this compassionate policy in 2004 still support protecting medical marijuana patients,” reported Tom Daubert, PFU founder/director, “and only 20% of adult Montanans believe the Legislature should repeal the law. Meanwhile, 60% believe the Legislature should instead pass new regulations that are strict and that allow for local controls as well,” he said.
Daubert noted that the poll also found that “a total of 76% of Montanans believe either that the law should be left alone, unchanged, or that new regulations should be added.”
He emphasized that the poll findings show Montanans as a whole agree with Patients & Families United, which has supported law enforcement, local government groups and others who believe the law should be “fixed” with rigorous regulatory “side-boards” that require accountability and oversight of those who produce and dispense medical cannabis to patients.
“Repealing this law would be the only step worse than doing nothing to fix it,” Daubert said. “It’s neither moral nor practical to suddenly redefine thousands of suffering patients as criminals. Taxpayers can’t afford that, and patients who are leading more comfortable, productive lives using cannabis rather than narcotics can’t be expected to happily go backwards,” he said. “This voter-adopted policy is benefiting a great many people, and it deserves to be fixed in ways that will address everyone’s concerns. We are gratified to know that Montanans agree.”
Comments (21)
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We voted out the liberal mamby-pamby peons and voted in the staunch boss conservatives. This is what conservative politics is! Duh!
We Montanans seem to want to appear more edgy and mean and get away from that warm and friendly image.
Keep in mind the ideal Republican scenario is having 70% of the American workforce working as employees for large companies and these employees live in apartments, not homes.
The shift towards the judgemental, and away from the compassionate, has been a tenant of conservative politics for thousands of years. Compassion costs money, and nobody who successfully works the capitalist system believes that smokin dope is gonna help anyone feel anything but stoned. Alcohol and cigarettes are good enough for the legislators and it is good enough for the cancer patients.
All these dopers and fakers should just pick themselves up by the bootstraps and get their ass in the air and their nose to the grindstone and become profitable for the benevolent corporations so they can create jobs and help the impoverished 1.1 billion in India.
We wanted a shift to the right and we're getting it. Can't wait for the next election so we can really get down to business! Now get back to work!
Over thirty years ago due too a back injury and five surgeries I was thrown into a world of nothing short of torture. The doctors, surgeons, physical therapist, etc. had tried everything only resulting in more pain. Thirty years ago these medical professionals advised I try Marijuana. They were aware of pain relieving properties of the plant back then and about four thousand years before that so why would folks of this day and age not know of the plants incredible medical value? I am amazed that our legislators are so willing to bring so much suffering to there constituents due to ignorance and a seemingly don't care attitude.
A giant step backwards! The people of Montana already voted for it,and it passed.I think if it's repealed their going to have one hell of a problem on their hand's. The protests at the Montana state capital will be the next BIG news event.
Nice comments Newsboy Greg, but I think you've got it a bit wrong...the Republicans/Conservatives/corporations/slave-owners/Illuminati do NOT want you be going back to your apartment after work. They would actually prefer that you go back to your lovely corporation-provided dormitory. If they could (as we have seen elsewhere) they would chain you to your machine until you were unable to work any longer. At that point (and can it be that far away?) you will still be useful as high-protein food for...? Remember the economics of Southern slavery were such that it was more profitable for the plantation owners to work their slaves to death and buy new ones every seven years rather than treat them well and provide them with proper diet and housing.
It's not enough that the very newsprint you are reading could be made from renewable hemp. Hemp could replace so much industrially as well as nutritionally. The powers that be do not want this to happen! That is why cannabis was made illegal. Lies and bigotry got them what they wanted. The gravy was the War on (some) Drugs. Having the power to imprison thousands of otherwise law-abiding citizens is not something that will be given up easily. That's why they are fighting so hard against legalization. That's why most of the people you see speaking against it are working as police, prison guards, phony drug-treatment providers. As those who toil under dictators have so recently demonstrated, we the people need to get out in the streets--and stay there.
The ONLY reason the bill to repeal Medical Marijuana was introduced is because it's what the politicians want & NOT what the PEOPLE want!!
Marijuana is the safest drug with actual benefits for the user as opposed to alcohol which is dangerous, causes addiction, birth defects, and affects literally every organ in the body. Groups are organizing all over the country to speak their minds on reforming pot laws. I drew up a very cool poster for the cause which you can check out on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/01… Drop in and let me know what you think!
I and many others voted to legalize the use, on the understanding it would be for cancer and glaucoma patients. The use has been abused, and the proponents have no one to blame but their selves.
@ ClearView:
Cancer and Glaucoma patients aren't the only people who will benefit. It is a HUGE deal by itself that Cannabis cures Cancer but also Cannabis is proven to help a wide range of problems. Here is short list of other problems that Cannabis is known to cure or help with. I included a link with each.
Headaches (Read the comments section):
http://www.nyheadache.com/blog/?p=98
Pain:
http://www.physorg.com/news202360294.html
Anxiety:
http://mcsocal.com/blog/alternative-treatm…
Diabetes (read the comments section):
Diabetes patients are able to regulate their blood sugar levels with THC and no longer need Insulin.
http://www.daily-diabetic.com/50226711/can…
Muscular Dystrophy:
http://www.aan.com/elibrary/neurologynow/?…
Also I would just like to mention:
The United States's two most profitable Industries are 1. Pharmaceuticals and 2. Private Prisons (don't get me started on this one).
#1. Pharmaceuticals. Do you know how many Pharmaceutical Lobbyists there are in Washington D.C. right now? The answer is 1,274 Pharmaceutical Lobbyists. That is two lobbyists per congressmen. Do you know which industry is set to lose the most money IF and WHEN Cannabis is legalized? The Pharmaceutical Industry.
What would happen to the Pharmaceutical Industry if hundreds of medications were instantly made obsolete. Here's a few of the big money makers that would cease to exist if the American people would wake up and read it for themselves: Pain Medication, Anti-Depression Medication, Anti-Anxiety Medication, Cancer treatments of any kind would no longer be needed (this is a HUGE money maker), Diabetes, Alzheimers, etc etc etc.
The bottom line is that the United States Congress is in the back pocket of the Lobbyists. Even though Cannabis is the safest, most effective, and most natural form of medicine on the planet, it remains illegal. Why? See #1.
Why is it that as an American citizen I can get jailed and thrown in prison for using the safest medicine on the planet (which has never killed anyone) but Pharmaceutical Companies can falsify medical studies to get medicine approved which has led to people dying, commiting suicide, committing murder, becoming disabled (paralyzed), etc. and the result is only a small fine?
Does this seem right to any of you?
Wake up people. Our interests are not a concern, only the profits to be made off our health problems and lawlessness.
Take some time to watch this documentary on Cannabis (I've seen hundreds and its one of the best I've seen). http://www.documentarywire.com/the-busines…
Regards
Curtis
I do not partake in cannabis, however I voted for it. Marijuana is a much safer alternative than man made pharmaceuticals. Pills will destroy your organs over time; just read the warnings. I would much rather see an autistic or ADHD child take medical marijuana over ritalin. Marijuana restores taste to cancer patients so that they can eat and build strength to combat these terrible diseases, which can be caused by manmade substances. Of course the pharmaceutical companies are afraid of any alternative medicine as it cuts into their profits. If the legislature truly cares about people and democracy, they will respect the majority who voted for this. Of course it's big business as usual. Funny thing is, that medical marijuana will benefit, not only sick people; it will boost our economies directly via jobs, filling empty buildings, creating ad revenue for newspapers and more. Ruling by fear is backwards. Education is the key. Teach your children to be compassionate and educate them about drinking and driving, taking prescription pills and smoking cigarettes. Repealing medical marijuana will only make things worse. It's here to stay as it should be, an alternative medicine. There will always be people who take advantage of the system, need I remind you of the banking fraud. How about (ours truly) republicans drinking and driving a boat up on land or having an open beer can in the car while speaking against it. Now that's dangerous. I was raised a republican, until the values changed and the hypocrisy became too much. Less government, who are they kidding? If republicans want less government then keep your hands out of peoples medicinal choices, especially safer alternatives. If the legislature REALLY cares about people, why don't they start by raising the age to buy cigarettes from 18 to 21 and put stricter laws on drunk driving and keep guns out of our schools so that I can safely send my child to school to actually learn to make healthy choices for herself!. Guns kill, medical marijuana saves. Hypocrites. Mr. Milburn put your ego back in check and get educated.
@ Clear View:
You voted for the medical marijuana initiative thinking only cancer and glaucoma patients would qualify?? Did you not see the TV ads and campaign where the most visible patient, Robin Prosser (who since committed suicide due to lack of access to her medicine) had neither of those conditions? She had an immunosuppressive condition causing extreme pain and nausea.
5% of Americans use narcotic painkillers each month. Those drugs can and do cause liver and kidney failure and cause thousands of unintentional deaths each year. The fact is, there are a lot of people with severe pain. Marijuana has never caused an overdose death. Why would you deny pain patients the safer option and consign them to narcotics that make many of them effectively zombies and destroy their quality of life -- and in too many cases end their life?
No one conned you. The campaign never pretended it would leave pain patients behind. And, the initiative's text was prominently posted on the campaign site and the state's web site for all to read. If you failed to inform yourself before voting and wish you had criminalized people in severe pain, you have only yourself to blame for not educating yourself.
Sure, Montana's law could use improvement in some areas. The legislature can and should do so. But, pain patients deserve a safer option than OxyContin.
When I read the financial paper that Millburn ordered showing that the state of Montana could make more money arresting people and allowing the Dept of Corrections to become PROFITABLE.
This is the logic being used by the old guard who are unwilling to let go of power and leave ADULTS the option to choose their method of pain management.
The Republican assembly should be ashamed as they pander to the Religious Right and the Mormond Church.
Who is funding Safe Families Safe Kids??
I appreciate many of the factual and well thought out comments made here. Medical cannabis is here to stay. Why? Because we live in the information age. People, unlike in times past, can easily find a host of information on nearly any subject. You can't effectively continue to lie and deceive the public regarding the value and use of this plant by using fear tactics. I have read countless personal comments regarding this use and one thing has been consistent in all of them. People who are against cannabis, whether for personal or medical use, usually employ fear tactics and deceit to support their position (or totally refuse to acknowledge the facts and choose to remain in their ignorance). While on the other hand, those who support its use quote facts, information sources, and studies which others can utilize to educate themselves and others. The average american can and will realize what is true regarding the use of this plant. That is the reason the polls most recently taken reflect very closely what they did when it was originally approved. I truely believe that a more sensisble approach to cannabis will be adopted as we move forward in time. Truth has a way of exposing fear tactics and deceit for what they really are. Truth and fact is what we should base our important decisions on in life. Thank you.
Montana really needs a recall election. Obviously there are some in Montana's government that don't have the best interests of the people in mind, those individuals have no business serving in government. These are political terrorists, with nothing better to do than draft self serving bills that have nothing to do with the reality of their surroundings. These are dangerous criminal types, worthy of investigation into corruption, and other illegal activities. Montana has to remove vermin like this from it's government before it causes more harm.
This is a sad day for Montana. I hope the people call to action and let their government know that medical marijuana is here to stay. You would think conservatives would be all for peoples right to choose what to put in their own bodies.
Sounds like mr. Millborn is being talked to by private prison intrest groups!!!!! Something has to happen here folks!!! Rise up and stand for your rights and ralley at the State capitol on March 10th and 11th shuttles are available
check out this video about smoking weed while skiing http://mfjs2210.wordpress.com/2011/03/10/s…
The right has a social agenda to legislate your social behavior. They want to control everything from your body to your mind. If you do not submit then you will be labeled a dissident or criminal. Yes they got elected through mis-leading voters and outright fraud. Now all you have to do is tune into any news source and it is clear that the agenda is far more than budgets, it is a social doctrine. All I can say is the next time you think your vote does not count, remember 2010. It was the year you lost your freedom and your democracy. My advice is take it back in 2012!
As a sufferer of chronic pain and the debilitating effects of the so-called prescriptions the doctors are so eager to push, I am disheartened at the things I see happening today. In North Carolina, legislation is on it's way to make any homeopathic practitioner a Felon in that state. Is this what we want here in the Big Sky? It's time for people to press the issue that if we want to use time tested, effective remedies that are both natural and safe to use, if done properly, then who the hell are these bureaucrats to tell us otherwise? The whole point of the government is to make money, and the people pushing these agendas of no natural or homeopathic remedies are the very ones who are pushing the Oxycodine on me. I personally will not take that stuff ever again after the addiction and withdraws I have suffered. I can't go to my doctor's office without him trying to write me a prescription for a whole slew of addictive, synthetic, and dangerous narcotics. Canabis is safe if used properly, and I personally don't ever smoke it, I cook with it. Some butter on my pancakes in the morning, and maybe some buttered bread with dinner at night is just the perfect medicine to deal with my medical issues at the moment. I also make some pretty good caramel popcorn for the flare-ups throughout the day. I do not agree with there being any legislation on the "plant" that I use just the same as any herb you may pull out of the garden, which by the way, have their own medicinal effects as well. Mint, of all kinds, is a very good example of a medicinal herb that most people don't think about and is probably part of their herb garden. How about basil, oregano, sage, rosemary? Are we going to start making them illegal if people use them instead of the prescription drugs pushed on us by our doctors? And what about our own huckleberries? They have been proven to help in a variety of medical conditions, like helping the digestive system, circulatory system, help to regulate blood sugar to even prevent diabetes, and a bunch of other benefits. http://www.herbco.com/p-1309-huckleberry-l…
People, take a look around you and see all the benefits of the so called "weeds" in your front yard. The dandelion is one of the best diuretics on the planet, yet I see so many people destroying them instead of using them. We have become a lazy society that wants everything done for us and handed out in a nice clean wrapper with some logo on it saying this is just what you need. If you would take the time to learn about the environment around you, the benefits from saving money, and your health can be amazing. Think about how nice it would be to stop paying for your insulin shots, your heart medicine, heck, just a simple headache can be cured with a "weed" that is growing on your front lawn at this very moment, instead of paying 4-8 dollars at the store for a bottle of pills, that you have no idea what can be in them.
So by all means, keep supporting the billion dollar pharmaceutical industry and keep expecting your rights as a human being to be taken away. Wake up and smell the flowers, then learn what kind of medicine you can be getting from a recurring source like your front yard or herb garden. Put all that money you would have spent on over the counter, or prescription drugs, into a jar and save it for a rainy day, cause that day is fast approaching with the loss of personal freedoms happening at this very moment.
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