| Photo: Robyn Twomey |
| Federal medical marijuana patient Irvin Rosenfeld with a tin of 300 government joints, which he’s gotten every 25 days from the government for 28 years. |
With a bill which would repeal the state’s medical marijuana law already having been passed by the House, the Montana Senate will soon hold hearings on House Bill 161, to repeal the 2004 initiative passed by voters.
Montana’s medical cannabis law was approved in 2004 by a resounding 62 percent of state voters. Despite that, HB 161 was introduced early in the current legislative session by House Speaker Mike Milburn, who ran unopposed in Cascade, Montana.
Milburn’s bill passed the House fueled by “Reefer Madness”-like statements, devoid of fact, according to Hiedi Handford, owner and publisher of Montana Connect.
With the antics of the House, along with another anti-marijuana group called “Safe Community Safe Kids,” Handford said it became quite apparent that big help was needed once again.
“Facts and science are being completely ignored,” Handford said. “Folks just seem to pay attention when they meet and question a federal patient, as so many folks out there still have no idea the federal patients even exist.”
| Photo: Medical Marijuana 411 |
| Federal medical cannabis patient Irvin Rosenfeld and Montana Connect founder Hiedi Handford |
Irvin Rosenfeld, federal medical marijuana patient number two and a stockbroker in south Florida, is scheduled to fly into Montana late Thursday night, March 10, to speak as an informational witness on behalf of Patients Out of Time. Rosenfeld plans to be in Montana until March 20, with events planned in Billings, Helena, and Great Falls.
”A large part of the focus of this trip will be in Billings and Great Falls — as they seem to have the most misinformation flying around, and have passed moratoriums in their cities that are harming patients,” Handford said.
Irvin will be in the State Capitol with Baby Cash — the youngest Montana medical cannabis patient and a brain tumor survivor — on March 16.
“It is imperative that the people of Montana understand that people like Baby Cash will die without medical cannabis,” Rosenfeld said. “That’s why this trip is so important.”
“Legislators in Montana have to think about the patients and get away from social stigma and stereotypes,” Rosenfeld said. Baby Cash is just 2-1/2 years old, and is alive today because of his cannabis treatments.
“To assist with Irvin’s fight in this grassroots movement to bring him back to Montana, please direct all donations to www.medicalcannabis.com and put MT in a field to designate it for Montana,” Handford said. “All donations are tax deductible, and will be used to educate Montanans regarding the safety, non-toxicity, and effectiveness of medical cannabis. All donors will be thanked and promoted in the next issue of Montana Connect.”
To follow or participate in the events, email Hiedi Handford at [email protected], visit Montana Connect on Facebook, or telephone (406) 594-7932.