Attacks throw light on Montana’s medical marijuana boom

The small blaze was put out quickly, Deputy Fire Marshal Trevor Schilling said.

A day earlier, at about 5 a.m., surveillance video showed two young men spray-painting “Not in Our Town’’ on the front of Big Sky Patient Care, then throwing a rock through the front door followed by a flaming bottle, Big Sky owner David Couch said.

Nobody was injured in either instance.

Trevor McFarren, co-owner of Montana Therapeutics, said his business provides medical marijuana for about 50 people and has operated since January. Until now, the business has never had a problem, a complaint, or even a bad phone call, he said.

McFarren said he believes the council vote has something to do with the timing of the act, which he estimated caused $2,500 in damage. “I’m sure they’re trying to fuel the fire about’’ the vote, he said. “It’s more of an attack on the community than anything.’’

Couch also said he has not had any complaints about his business since it opened in April. He declined to say how many patients Big Sky has.

“If anything good comes out of this, it will probably be a desire for more education in the general public,’’ he said.

Police have no suspects, Iffland said. Detectives were investigating whether the acts were done by opponents of medical marijuana businesses ahead of the council’s vote or by business rivals, Iffland said.

The trade has boomed in Montana since the Obama administration last year said it would not prosecute medical marijuana cases. More than 4,800 new patients were added to the state’s registry in the first three months of this year, according to the state Department of Public Health and Human Services.

As of March 31, the state had some 12,081 patients and about 2,800 registered caregivers providing them with medical marijuana. In 2008, there were about 800 registered patients.

That growth has exposed holes in the state medical marijuana law, which passed by ballot initiative in 2004, and the state Legislature is hearing recommendations from law enforcement, cities, schools, and the medical marijuana community on changes it may make when it goes back into session in January.

Meanwhile, Montana’s cities and towns are testing different ways to deal with commercial growers. Some have banned them; others are seeking ways to regulate them like other businesses. Several cities have imposed temporary moratoriums on new businesses, such as the one that Billings is considering, while they figure out a permanent solution.

Billings has issued more than 80 business licenses for medical marijuana stores. The council is considering whether to put a six-month ban on new stores opening within city limits and whether to close those operating within 1,000 feet of a school or a park.

Councilman Jim Ronquillo said the council would probably pass the six-month ban, and then extend it if a solution has not been found by then.

“We want to kick it back for six months and see if we can cool these issues down,’’ Ronquillo said.