HELENA, Dec. 28 – A new petition for a ballot measure asks Montana voters to end criminal penalties for marijuana for adults 21 years of age and older.
Barb Trego, a former deputy reserve sheriff in Lewis & Clark County and the proponent of the measure, said, “The personal use of marijuana should never result in criminal penalties. Whatever you think about marijuana, it’s easy to see that we have higher priorities for our law enforcement resources.”
Marijuana has been making headlines in Montana for several years, most recently as the legislature’s attempt to roll back patients’ rights to medical marijuana was forced to the ballot. Voters will consider IR-124 in November 2012, which asks voters to approve or reject the rollback.
Trego’s petition, which will be sponsored by a newly formed group called Montana First, will ask voters to take marijuana regulations a step farther. (The group’s new website is at www.MontanaFirst2012.org.)
“The controversy around medical marijuana shows how difficult it is to regulate marijuana for just a segment of the population,” Trego said. “It should be regulated, controlled and taxed for all adults. This will end the waste of law enforcement resources and allow us to focus on more important priorities, like limiting access for young people and preventing driving under the influence.”
The new petition is for a proposed amendment to the state constitution. It would add just two sentences to a portion of the constitution concerning adult rights, which already contains a reference to the legal age for the consumption of alcohol.
Trego said, “This measure is as simple as it can be. The basic principle is clear as day. After voters pass it, there will be work to do to define limits and regulations. This is an appropriate task for elected leaders after the voters signal their preference to stop arresting and jailing adults for personal use of marijuana.”
The amendment creates a right for adults to purchase, produce and possess marijuana within limits. State lawmakers would be empowered to create those “reasonable limitations, regulations, and taxation,” and no activity would be legal if it “endanger[s] minors, children, or public safety” – a broad provision that continues safeguards like prohibiting driving under the influence, and allows new regulations where needed. Implementation of the measure would be delayed until July 1, 2013, to allow the 2013 Legislature time to define limits and regulations.
John Masterson, treasurer of Montana First, said, “For several months, we have heard a lot of excitement around this amendment. Now is the time to gather our forces and make sure it gets on the ballot.”
“We are going to try to repeat the success of Patients for Reform, Not Repeal, in qualifying a statewide measure on the strength of a largely volunteer effort,” Masterson said. “We will also ask for financial support to make sure this simple, commonsense measure qualifies for a vote in the new year.”
Montana First is online at www.MontanaFirst2012.org.
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The proposed amendment adds language to Article II, Section 14, of the Montana Constitution. The new language would state:
“Adults have the right to responsibly purchase, consume, produce, and possess marijuana, subject to reasonable limitations, regulations, and taxation. Except for actions that endanger minors, children, or public safety, no criminal offense or penalty of this state shall apply to such activities.”