Events

 MTCIA PRESENTS: AMERICAN DRUG WAR 2 – CANNABIS DESTINY  POWERFUL DOCUMENTARY FEATURES MONTANA RESIDENTS MIKE AND KALLI  HYDE   AMERICAN DRUG WAR 2 - Cannabis Destiny, a documentary by filmmaker Kevin Booth, closely examines the current state of the government’s war on marijuana in the United States. This powerful film features the story of Mike and Kalli Hyde and their struggle to keep Montana’s youngest medical marijuana patient, Cash Hyde, alive through the use of medical marijuana.     Cannabis Destiny Flyer billings Cash Hyde’s [...]

Just a reminder, American Drug War 2: Cannabis Destiny screens at the Wilma Theatre Thursday, July 25, at 7:30 PM, followed by a panel discussion. $7 at Rockin Rudy's and the Wilma box office. Proceeds go to the Cash Hyde Foundation. A Missoula Independent review of the movie by Molly Laich can be found here http://missoulanews.bigskypress.com/missoula/pot-power/Content?oid=1879614&fb_action_ids=10201620660588489&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210201620660588489%22%3A147538232114575%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210201620660588489%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D  

Last week, the MTCIA participated in the Chamber of Commerce webinar on the new marijuana laws passed during the 2011 legislature and on employer concerns about medical marijuana use. Participants were muted for the webinar but could send in questions. The lion’s share of the hour-long meeting was about concerns regarding access – access to employees’ urine, that is. They discussed drug testing and the terms and circumstances under which such tests could be administered. However, the Chamber representative also said [...]

A Montana delegation of 13 MTCIA members attended the Drug Policy Alliance conference in Los Angeles last week. Below are some standout impressions, themes, quotes, and ideas that our people took away from the event.   The point isn’t to win the war on drugs, but to end it. The movement is multi-generational, multi-racial, and includes “the people who love drugs, hate drugs and everything in between. We are black, white, and everything in between.  We are straight, queer and everything [...]

Meetings will run from 7:15 p.m. till 9:00 p.m. Any changes in time or location will be announced in advance. These meeting are for MTCIA members. If you are not currently a member and would like to become one, arrive at 7 pm to sign up. Second Monday of every month Kalispell: Glacier View VFW 330 1st Ave West Kalispell , MT 59901 Second Tuesday of every month Missoula: Top Hat 134 West Front Street Missoula, MT 59802-4304 Second Wednesday of every month [...]

  It was an interesting week for marijuana in Montana. It seems it finally penetrated the public conversation that SB 423 created a mess. At both the interim committee on Children, Families, Health and Human Services meeting and the Wheeler conference, it was clear that denying access to medical cannabis didn’t impact cannabis use, it only served to increase the number of people you can incarcerate.  It is a step in the right direction to have institutions such as the Wheeler [...]

On Monday, September 19, the Children and Families Interim Committee met and spent 45 minutes of the meeting on the medical marijuana program. The agenda included presentations by legislative staff, Sue O’Connell; Roy Kemp who administers the medical marijuana registry at the Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS); and Kate Cholewa of the Montana Cannabis Industry Association. There is a link to the audio of the meeting here. Representative Diane Sands also reported on her trip to Washington, D.C. and [...]

Mark your calendars for two upcoming conferences. One takes place here in Montana and one in L.A. The Wheeler Conference takes place on Monday evening and Tuesday, September 19 and 20. The Burton K. Wheeler Center for Public Policy in Bozeman, MT, promotes the discussion, analysis and eventual resolution of critical issues facing Montana and the region. The Center holds two conferences annually. The topic of their upcoming conference is medical cannabis. The conference, "Medical Marijuana: Thoughtful Questions, Responsible Answers", will [...]

300,000 people. No alcohol served. Vendors. Information booths. Three stages. Music. Panels. Speakers. Food. People moved at the ocean front parks like schools of fish and included every age group, groups of friends, handholding couples, and stroller-pushing families. The weather was hot. MTCIA Board members Ed Docter and Kate Cholewa took a stage twice to tell the Montana story to the throngs. Ed Docter also served on a panel discussing the economics of the cannabis marketplace. Whereas the larger atmosphere was [...]

Fall is just around the corner and the calendar is filling up.   MTCIA meeting in Missoula When: Tuesday, August 30, 7:00pm - 9:00pm Where: Red Lion Inn Missoula 700 W. Broadway Missoula What: Referendum update, State's repeal response, Current lawsuit status, Membership discussion    Administrative Rules Hearing When: Wednesday, August 31, 1:30 pm Where: DPHHS Building, 111 N. Sanders, Helena What: This hearing is on the rules for administering the provisions of SB 423. The provisions themselves are not the topic [...]

Update: You can listen to a recording of this conference call here: MTCIA - August 07 Conference Call The MTCIA will sponsor a statewide conference call at 7 p.m. on Sunday, August 7, 2011. The agenda for the one hour call is MTCIA President Ed Docter: Welcome and Overview  (5 minutes) P4RNR Petition Coordinator Rose Habib: Referendum Progress Report (10 – 15 minutes) MTCIA Board Member Kate Cholewa: MTCIA and the referendum (5 minutes) Ed Docter: Coming events (5 minutes) Questions: [...]

MTCIA board member Ed Docter took to the road this week with Rose Habib, petition coordinator for Patients for Reform Not Repeal. From Kalispell to Billings with stops in between, Rose trained more than a 150 captains on the specifics on how to do signature gathering. These captains will now train others. Many thanks to our friends in the Flathead who hosted an MTCIA fundraiser while Ed and Rose were in town. Thanks to on-the-ground organizers Ian Baker, James Blair, Tara [...]

And now, there’s three days. What tension. We’ve been pulled pretty taut these last six months, yes? Yesterday, Ed Docter, Pat Pardis, and Kate Cholewa from the MTCIA board rolled into Billings for a fundraiser and Battle of the Bands. Thanks to James Haney, Mort Ried, Kathleen Shannon, and Jude Mendonza for local organizing and coordination. Thanks again to Misty Carey for generating printed materials. It was great to get together but there was also a pervasive sense of gravity and [...]

Update: The call was great. You can listen to a replay until June 30th here.   Wednesday, June 22nd, MTCIA board members will host a statewide public conference call for all interested parties to talk about: - lawsuit reflections and anticipated results - referendum planning - fundraising (and spending) - etc To submit your questions in advance, email: questions@mtcia.org The call-in info is as follows:   When: Wednesday 6-22, 7:30PM Mountain Time Number: 712-432-0900 Access Code: 161228# We are expecting hundreds [...]

On Saturday, June 11th, the MTCIA will hold another informational mixer and fundraiser for anyone interested in preserving the legal cannabis industry in Montana. Where: F.O.E. Kalispell 37 1st Street West Kalispell, MT 59901 When: Saturday, June 11, 7PM Meet your neighbors and hear the latest news about the referendum and the lawsuit. And bring your checkbook to invest in the fight to prevent SB 423 from becoming law! Respond on Facebook here.  

On Thursday, June 2nd, from 7-8PM, MTCIA will host a free public telephone call-in forum for patients, caregivers, media and the general public to attend. The format will consist of pre-submitted questions from the public being answered by MTCIA board members, followed by a live Q&A. To join the call, dial: 605-475-4800 When prompted, enter access code: 859198# To pre-submit your questions for the MTCIA Board, visit: http://mtcia.org/contact Questions will be collected until 4PM Thursday.

Please join MTCIA board members in Bozeman on Friday June 3rd to hear the latest about the lawsuit and petition, and raise much needed funds to continue our efforts. When: Friday, June 3, 7:00pm - 10:00pm Where: Eagles Club 316 East Main Street, Bozeman, MT There will be guest speakers, and live music to be announced.  

Come get informed about the current efforts to preserve access to medical cannabis in Montana.  Three MTCIA board members – John Masterson, Ed Docter, and Kate Cholewa – will be there on Saturday, May 21 in Billings to fundraise, network, and exchange information with the local community regarding the lawsuit, referendum, injunction, and other pressing matters. UPDATE: A welcome addition had been added to the schedule for this Saturday's fundraiser and mixer. Representative Robyn Driscoll of Billings will address the group [...]

This Friday in Missoula the Montana Cannabis Industry Association will be hosting an informational / fundraising event. This event will be held at Caras Park downtown from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. We will be introducing the MTCIA board, speaking on topics concerning SB423 and the current state of our industry. There will be guest speakers including Sen. David Wanzenried. Vendors will be offering food, beer, and other sundries. For booth or general info please call board member Ed Docter at: [...]