Montana voters could legalize cannabis

Synthetics are killing people and destroying lives so one Anchorage, Alaska woman is offering to trade cannabis for a manufactured poison called "spice."

Nicole Crites said she’s been kicking around the idea for some time. Beginning Saturday, she plans to seek out spice users on the streets and offer them the opportunity to trade their outlawed synthetic drugs for a legalized alternative. Crites said for every gram of spice a person is willing to destroy in front of her, she will reward them with twice the amount in free marijuana. [KTUU teevee]

Montana has been battling Big Pharma and Big Booze since at least 2004 when the state legalized cannabis for therapeutic purposes.

Anthony Varriano, a sports reporter in Glendive, wants us all to live the high life. As of Oct. 5, Varriano was approved to begin collecting signatures for a constitutional initiative that would give adult Montanans “the right to purchase, consume, and possess marijuana, subject to age limitations set by the Legislature or through the ballot initiative.” Because it would amend the state constitution, Varriano’s proposal requires 48,349 voter signatures before it can appear on the ballot. Officially, the recreational pot measure is titled CI-115, but Varriano submitted it as “Amendment 420.” Varriano said marijuana is safer for human consumption than alcohol, tobacco and peanuts. “Peanuts kill 200 people per year,” he said. [Bozeman Daily Chronicle]

Montana's legislature meets in odd-numbered years and will not convene until 2017 and will have to cope with liberalized cannabis laws pending in neighboring Canada while New Mexico shares a border with Mexico also considering ending prohibition.

Cedric Black Eagle of the Crow Nation sits on the board of CannaNative.

The industry has been grappling with energy costs and the use of pesticides.

Cannabis Is Safer Then McDonalds! #MinnesotaMarijuana pic.twitter.com/CSlgtXJnpL

— MINNESOTA MARIJUANA (@MinnMarijuana) October 26, 2015