Marijuana Ban Initiative Likely Won’t Make Ballot

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A Billings businessman who proposed a measure that would have effectively overturned Montana's medical marijuana law says he doesn't think it qualified for the November ballot.

Steve Zabawa tells Lee Newspapers of Montana that the initiative's backers likely didn't gather enough signatures.

The proposal sought to change state law to say any Schedule I drug in the federal Controlled Substances Act "may not be legally possessed, received, transferred, manufactured, cultivated, trafficked, transported or used in Montana."

Montana voters approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes in 2004.

Backers of Initiative 174 needed to obtain the signatures of at least 24,175 voters by June 20, including 5 percent of voters in at least 34 of the state's 100 House districts. An official tally won't be available until later this month.