Missoula ban on new dispensaries advances to final vote (2024)

New dispensaries in Missoula could be restricted for up to two years after the city council set three different laws for a final vote that would pause business licenses and add fines for people distributing marijuana to children.

The council advanced a resolutionWednesday to halt all new dispensary licenses within the city limits after July 8. That policy, if approved by council on June 24, would place a 180-day temporary ban on new cannabis shops.

The other two polices would create a more permanent, two-year moratorium on new dispensary licenses and establish local fines for selling or giving marijuana to a minor.

Both of those laws are set for a final debate by council on July 8. Ward 3 Councilor Gwen Jones sponsored the potential policies and said the restrictions are meant to limit youth cannabis use.

The Center for Disease Control's Youth Risk Behavior survey reported youth cannabis use in Missoula County increased from 20% in 2019 to 24.5% in 2021.

Recreational marijuana has been legal in Montana since the start of 2021 after being approved by voters. In May 2024, Missoula County residents spent more than $3 million on medical and recreational marijuana sales, according to state data.

But as more children get their hands on the drug, health experts are sounding the alarm that mental and emotional problems are increasing in association with marijuana.

Experts speak out

Both local health department officials and pediatricians said youth cannabis has grown in Missoula since the plant was legalized in 2020. Dr. Lauren Wilson, president of Montana Pediatrics Association, said while marijuana is legal, it is not necessarily safe, especially for children.

"We all know that recreational marijuana is legal for adults in Montana, but as with many things, the devil is in the details as far as youth access," Wilson said.

Since Missoula has one of the highest number of dispensaries per capita in America, some argue its easier for children to obtain marijuana compared to alcohol or tobacco.

Dr. Melody Cunningham, a member of the American Academy of Pediatricians, said the problem is compounded by the potency of the product, which has gained more active THC ingredients as growers create new products.

"In 2000, the average strength of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, was 5%. Presently it can be up to 35%," Cunningham said. "So yes, seven times the previous potency, so it's really significant."

Dr. Blair Davidson, pediatrician and psychiatrist at Providence St Patrick Hospital since 2008, said she sees children with mental and emotional conditions after using marijuana more than any other substance abuse issue.

"These are not theoretical, I see these everyday at large, and unfortunately the consequences are irreversible," Davidson said.

Strong market

The number of dispensaries in Missoula has steadily grown over the four years since legalization. The health department reported 42 in Missoula in 2021,up to 51 dispensaries in early 2024.

Leah Fitch-Brody, a substance use disorder prevention coordinator for the city-county health department, said the sheer amount of dispensaries makes it easier for youth to get access, either by using fake documentation or getting someone of age to purchase the product.

Fitch-Brody said some neighborhoods have more dispensaries than others. The Westside, Heart of Missoula, Rose Park and Franklin to the Fort neighborhoods have a higher concentration.

While councilors were mostly in favor of the new policies, Councilors Daniel Carlino and Sandra Vasecka opposed one of the votes. Carlino said he agreed that youth marijuana use is a problem, but he argued stopping a store or two will not answer the problem.

"This is not the right direction," Carlino said.

The council will consider the temporary ban on new dispensaries on June 24, while the more permanent ban and additional fines will be considered on July 8.