Mike Singer and his business partner are caregivers. They own and operate Sensible Alternatives on Jackrabbit Lane. Here lies insight into their decision to provide Medical Marijuana to patients in the Gallatin Valley and the state of things pertaining to the industry.

BM: What is your main goal in the Medical Marijuana (MMJ) world?

MS: Our driving goal is to make sure that we provide a safe and comfortable environment where anyone will feel comfortable, and your questions can be honestly answered. I have seen the miraculous changes that MMJ has had on my grandma, and she no longer has a chemical dependency on prescribed narcotics. Why shouldn’t everyone have an opportunity at the same relief?

BM: What sets your business apart from other MMJ dispensaries?

MS: Both my business partner and I have degrees from MSU and we attacked this from a logical and reasonable angle. We knew that MMJ had a lot of potential to help many people, but the industry was in a time of great upheaval and still is! We knew that most other providers were still operating as if this were illegal, with small basement grows and questionable techniques. We decided that in order to help bring this industry out of the shadows into a position where it could be accepted as a beneficial medicine and not just a recreational drug that it would need to be run as such. We have a custom built facility that was professionally wired by Gallatin Electric, HVAC was completed by Tin Works, water filtering was also performed by a local company. Our facility provides a year-round controlled growing environment while incorporating the most energy efficient technology possible. Our power usage is offset by a grid-tied solar system designed and maintained by Independent Power Systems. We hired an organic gardener and two horticulturist, one that is a fellow MSU alumni. We didn’t want to cut any corners that may compromise the quality of the product. We also wanted to showcase to Montana what this industry can mature to if allowed.
Sensible Alternatives provides the highest quality cannabis available to patients who qualify under the Montana Medical Marijuana Act. Using organic gardening techniques and a clean, stable environment, we maintain a garden stocked with a variety of custom strains. We believe that a long term focus on sustainability will allow our industry to grow and prosper. We reduce, reuse, and recycle whenever possible. Our organic soil is only used for one cycle due to the increased risk of developing soil pathogens that may affect our plants or patients. Because this is still very rich and viable soil, we donate it to a local organic Community Supported Agricultural farm. We then offer discounted memberships to our patients so that they can have fresh, locally grown organic vegetables all summer long!

BM: What difference do you provide for your patients?

MS: Our obligation to our patients health requires us to grow MMJ with a focus on the safety and quality of the end product. Most other growers utilize some chemicals and pesticides in their grow, leaving the patient with a potentially harmful product. Recently a Vietnam war veteran came to us looking for a full organic grower due to his allergies to pesticides as a consequence of exposure to chemicals during his service. Many patients don’t even realize that there is such a big difference in not only the safety of the finished MMJ, but also the taste, smell, and potency. We do not “force feed” our plants a mix of chemicals and steroids, in fact we do not “feed” them at all. We brew organic teas using a variety of medium such as earth worm casting, organic waste, kelp, and even molasses. We then feed and foster a micro colony living in our active soil. It is through this colonies life cycle of living, feeding, producing waste and dying that our plants receive their nutrients. This is a small scale reproduction of what Mother Earth does best.

BM: What can you say about the current upheaval in Helena over the MMJ issue?

MS: We hope to see this industry continue in Montana, as there are many that can be benefitted. It is a shame that there has been so much press on the negative aspects of our industry. As an insider, I can tell you that there are far less problems than are actually reported. There have been some flagrant offenders, but as the state develops a regulatory agency, many of the abuses will be halted immediately. I think that there has been a lot of blame on the patients in this industry. You hear all these horrible things on the news about patients not actually needing MMJ, or high school kids having a card, or MMJ being prevalent on our school campuses. This simply is not supported by fact. The real problem in the industry has come from some of the other caregivers, but that will change too. Once we have a regulatory body that focuses on removing growers from residential areas, requiring electrical work to be performed by a professional, and even just keeping track of basic plant count, you will see a big “clean up” in the industry.

BM: How has recent legislation affected your business?

MS: The recently passed bill has already created a series of issues. The uncompromising restrictions in that bill were obviously targeted to eliminate rather than regulate Medical Marijuana. We, and most other caregivers were horrified to see how little effort and care was demonstrated by our legislature. Many businesses seemed to suddenly disappear. The threat of the advertising ban itself caused many to remove their websites, hide their signs, and even cancel ads. The idea that it could have been illegal for us to provide patients with information about our company on a website seems absurd, but it was almost a reality.

From the patients perspective, it seems to have caused problems already. Many caregivers have left and some will no longer accept new patients, which has left the patients without consistent access to their medicine. Further, some feel that it may be “a waste” to renew their recommendation since they won’t be able to legally purchase it beginning in July.

BM: Since Governor Schweitzer did not veto HB 423 what is the next step for local caregivers?

MS: We feel that the passing of HB 423 is a chance to really bring caregivers together state wide. Our response to this needs to be swift, active and most importantly positive. This is a great chance for Medical Marijuana to get a fair and unbiased evaluation. The last few months seem to have focused on what is wrong with Medical Marijuana. With the right attitude, Medical Marijuana still has a future in Montana. The first step is to obviously let another party judge the merits of HB 423. We have a lot of respect for the work that the recently formed Montana Cannabis Industry Association has already done. The next weeks and months will focus on asking the courts opinion on what has been publicly labeled an “unconstitutional” bill. We would like to see the state wait to implement the new law until it has been reviewed. This would allow us to continue to serve patients until this issue has been properly debated. There is also the route of putting this law back in front of the people, with a petition for that purpose, which is still being reviewed by the Attorney General’s office.

BM: What’s next for patients in need of MMJ?

MS: Patients need to aware of the issues with HB 423. They need to consider the impact that this bill will have on them, their loved ones and their community. They need to make sure their voice is heard, even if that means even just signing a petition. Currently, starting July 1st they will not be able to buy Medical Marijuana. It obviously creates a large gap for them to fill. They must either figure out how to obtain and properly grow medicinal quality cannabis themselves or ask something to consistently supply them with medicine free of charge. Both scenarios seem unlikely for many, as maintaining an indoor garden can be expensive, laborious, and illegal in many residential areas.

BM: Any parting words for our readers?

MS: The portrayal of medical marijuana leading up to and after the passage of HB 423 has seemed extreme and often inaccurate. Their was definitely a proliferation of new patients in the last two years. This is often labeled as a result of Medical Marijuana. Medical Marijuana has not created patients. The patients, prior to receiving a Medical Marijuana recommendation have often had other prescriptions. For many, Medical Marijuana has replaced one or more of those. I believe that many more patients are truly benefitted by Medical Marijuana than the typical cynical Helena politician admits. I am sure the outpouring of letters to Legislators has been enormous and largely unread. I have heard a lot of stories that do seem often repeated about possible gangs or cartels invading Montana, our high school kids being lost, and rampant criminal activity. These are the same myths that have been circulated for the last 80 years now. I ask for everyone to open your eyes and truly look around. Does Bozeman seem different to you? There obviously have been some problems as a result of a lack of any sort of regulation. A vacuum of regulation did create abusers of the system. However, I think that it is fair to remember that there is no state enforcement of any kind currently. I think that a simple random inspection of a caregiver could have prevented many abuses.

Sensible Alternatives is located at 5174 Jackrabbit Ln, Belgrade, MT. 406-587-4541