Prometheus 6

Ban Sought On Medical Marijuana For Parolees
Associated Press
Friday, January 4, 2008; A08

HELENA, Mont., Jan. 3 -- Montana's Department of Corrections is facing stiff resistance to a proposal to prohibit all people on parole or probation from obtaining medical marijuana.

At a rules hearing Thursday, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana called the proposal "flawed in nearly every aspect."

"It's almost as if the Department of Corrections is trying to obliquely regulate medical marijuana," Elizabeth Griffing said. "This is just an overreaching of your authority and jurisdiction."

Montana voters legalized medical marijuana in 2004, and the agency cannot unilaterally change state law, advocates say.

The proposal would also prohibit those on parole or probation from gambling or using alcohol. Sentencing judges already can ban convicts from such activities as drinking and gambling if they find a connection between the activity and the crime, Griffing said.