COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO CONSIDER MARIJUANA STOREFRONT BAN

Yellowstone County commissioners will be considering a ban on
storefront medical marijuana sales in the county in the coming weeks.

Commissioner Jim Reno has placed the issue on the agenda for the
regular commissioner discussion meeting at 2 p.m. Monday. The next
step will be for the commission to adopt a resolution banning medical
marijuana storefronts at its Aug. 2 board meeting, Reno said. A
public hearing on the resolution is not necessary, he said.

Reno said he wants not only to ban storefront sales of pot but also
to restrict sales from within 1,000 feet of schools, churches and parks.

"We're going to do it because the law allows it," Reno said.
"Citizens don't like marijuana being sold in their communities."

In his visits to senior centers around the county, Reno said,
residents "to a person" don't like the medical marijuana storefronts.
"They feel, as I did, they were lied to by the initiative."

Reno was referring to the 2004 statewide initiative passed by voters
to legalize medical marijuana in the state. The initiative led to a
medical pot boom and to federal indictments this year against some
medical marijuana providers who are accused of trafficking the drug.
Marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

Reno didn't know how many storefront providers may be in the county
because he said they are not required to get business licenses to
operate there.

The Legislature this year passed Senate Bill 423, which severely
restricted the availability and distribution of medical marijuana.

Earlier this month, the Billings City Council adopted an emergency
ordinance banning storefront sales of medical marijuana but gave
operators time to comply. That action has drawn a lawsuit.

Also, a state district judge in Lewis and Clark County has struck
down major provisions of the new law. Medical marijuana supporters
are hoping to overturn all of SB423 through a citizen referendum.