Missoula County marijuana initiative so much (ahem) smoke and mirrors?

The 2006 Missoula County voter initiative that makes low amounts of marijuana the lowest priority for law enforcement is just a suggestion.

Missoula County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg and members of law enforcement say that’s a problem because the guidelines are so fuzzy.

But with the exception of medicinal use, pot is still illegal and Van Valkenburg said that he thinks “state laws should be applied equally regardless of where they’re broken.”

But John Masterson, who as head of Montana NORML (National Organization for the Legalization of Marijuana Laws) sees that as the measure’s strength, and wonders why change is necessary.

“If lawmakers are specifically passing new laws which outlaw policies that have been already voted in by a substantial majority by the people, then that calls into question the proper role of the elected officials who are writing the new laws,” Masterson said.

That fundamental disagreement came up last week when I wrote about Van Valkenburg’s effort to get a state law that would in effect override Initiative 2. Republican Rep. Tom Berry of Roundup has asked for a bill draft. The story raised a hullaballoo as to whether that’s legal or even constitutional.

A longer story in Sunday’s Missoulian explains why it is, and how people feel about that.

What think you?

Gwen Florio

(Image: Billings Gazette)