State law dictates that only medical marijuana dispensaries will be able to sell recreational marijuana for the first 18 months of it being on sale. The law also bars out-of-state operators from acquiring a recreational marijuana business license. As a result, many local medical marijuana businesses had begun to invest in expanding their services. Zach Schopp, who owns the county-based medical marijuana business Seeds of Life, told commissioners sending the vote back to county residents after they'd already approved recreational marijuana threatened the businesses of all county providers. Billings Public Schools board trustee Tanya Ludwig encouraged commissioners to go back to voters, warning that legalized marijuana would only lead to heartbreak.

Source: thestar December 15, 2021 00:48 UTC