BILLINGS — A nonpartisan advocacy group is lobbying in Helena this week making an attempt to revise marijuana regulation in Montana.

Good Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is a nationwide group aimed toward educating Individuals on the hazards of marijuana and to advertise sensible marijuana coverage. The group’s native affiliate, SAFE Montana, additionally joined in on the battle.

The group’s president and CEO, Kevin Sabet, informed MTN Information on Friday the group would not wish to see one other “Large Tobacco” marketing campaign with marijuana. Sabet formally served three White Home administrations as a drug coverage advisor earlier than co-founding the group with former Congressman Patrick Kennedy, a Democrat from Rhode Island.

“We spent a long time making an attempt to roll again the problems associated to large tobacco. And we realized too late. Tens of millions of individuals lifeless on account of the tobacco business mendacity about its harms, and all of us believed it till we realized they had been mendacity,” Sabet stated on a video name. “I simply hate to see us repeat historical past once more with marijuana. It’s going to be too late. You’re going to have tens of millions of individuals with psychosis, schizophrenia, psychological well being points, you recognize, elevating suicide danger five-fold.”

Sabet stated the group is making an attempt to ban marijuana commercials and tighten up leisure rules. He believes marijuana has turn out to be too commercialized and is extra harmful than many consider.

“We don’t wish to see folks go to jail for marijuana, however we additionally don’t wish to see it massively commercialized. We expect that proper now, numerous the American public are underestimating the consequences of right this moment’s very extremely potent marijuana,” Sabet stated. “We now have numerous kid-friendly merchandise. Gummies, ice lotions. We now have issues known as concentrates that are basically oils you could vape and in addition use in several methods. A few of them have 99.9% THC, they declare.”

And Sabet believes there is a double normal in relation to issues like marijuana.

“So a part of the rationale why alcohol and tobacco are so dangerous is as a result of they’re authorized. It’s not simply the organic problem of how dangerous it’s to your mind. It’s additionally the legality of these two medication. And the practice has left the station, however you recognize they’re extensively commercialized, they enchantment to youth, they’re badges of maturity. They’re promoted and normalized in society. And so why would we wish to make that very same mistake once more if we may also help it I believe is the query.”

Marijuana store homeowners in Billings disagree.

Jason Smith, who co-owns Montana Superior Caregivers, stated if rules had been stricter, extra hurt can be performed than good.

“Montana had $300 million in hashish gross sales this 12 months, the primary 12 months, with $58 million generated in tax income. And it created 5,000 jobs of state-badged staff that needed to move a background examine. And this may create a $300 million black market and jobs in a market just for the cartel to usher in fentanyl and dying into Montana,” Smith stated on Friday. “If you happen to can’t get it right here, and also you’re saying it’s unlawful, then the one different place to get it’s both out of your neighbor or whoever’s bringing it in throughout state traces. And then you definately don’t know what you’re getting.”

Smith stated dispensaries are licensed and have strict protocols to comply with to have the ability to promote marijuana.

“We card right here. The stuff is examined. It’s regulated. If you happen to’re not the age of 21 or older, you’re not allowed to buy or procure any merchandise right here,” Smith stated. “Your neighbor doesn’t card. Your neighbor doesn’t care. Your neighbor will commerce weed for a carton of eggs or the rest as a result of there’s worth to it.”

And Smith believes marijuana commercialization is nothing like what Large Tobacco did with cigarettes.

“It’s already the folks’s selection. No person is pressured to return into right here or any of those institutions. It shouldn’t be in comparison with cigarettes or large tobacco, nevertheless it must be in comparison with alcohol and that’s why it’s regulated by way of the Division of Income within the state of Montana. The identical division that regulates the alcohol and liquor licenses inside the state of Montana,” Smith stated. “Apart from the product being protected, it’s the people who work in these institutions, run these institutions and personal these institutions that make it protected. There’s not lots of people in varied jobs that should move a background examine and get fingerprinted.”

In accordance with Smith, altering rules might imply numerous misplaced jobs—and cash—for the state.

“Montanans have handed and created a $300 million business. And if we don’t fill these wants for that business, any individual else will. Anyone that’s not regulated or examined or zoned to be in these spots,” Smith stated.

And Smith believes a regulation the Legislature handed in 2021, which allowed medical-marijuana dispensaries to promote recreationally, ought to stay as is.

“Hearken to the folks,” Smith stated. “And the folks voted for leisure marijuana in Montana and protected entry to those merchandise in Montana.”

However others, like Sabet, disagree and wish change. Sabet believes Montana voters weren’t informed the complete reality of what they had been voting on after they handed the 2020 initiative that legalized leisure gross sales.

“I additionally suppose voters right here in Montana had been duped when it got here to the latest initiative. Most of them, in line with our polls, didn’t know the specifics. They didn’t understand that it might have so many extra pot outlets. They didn’t understand that there was basically limitless quantities of THC allowed within the product,” Sabet stated. “They didn’t understand they may are available in gummy type, gummy bears and ice lotions and cookies and sodas. And promoting. So it is a large problem.”

An enormous problem—on each ends of the argument.

“This, like I stated, is all inspected and controlled,” Smith stated. “The man on the nook isn’t, and he doesn’t care.”