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Marijuana Bill Passes State Senate

By Beacon Staff

HELENA – The Montana Senate passed a bill Tuesday to increase the amount of medical marijuana caregivers and patients can hold.

Senate Bill 326 passed the Senate and was sent to the House on a 28-22 vote.

The House referred the bill to its Human Services Committee.

The bill increases the amount of marijuana it is legal to hold for medical purposes from one ounce to three ounces.

It also makes a distinction between mature and immature plants. People growing medical marijuana could now have up to 14 plants, with only six at a mature, flowering stage.

The sponsor, Democratic Sen. Ron Erickson of Missoula, says the changes are needed to ensure patients relying on marijuana for pain relief are not without medicine.

Montana voters passed the medical marijuana initiative in 2004.