Come November, Montana voters will have a chance to change this state's marijuana laws. Activists from the Marijuana Policy Project of Montana raised more than enough signatures - some 25,000 - to get their medical marijuana initiative placed on the general election ballot. Despite federal drug laws prohibiting the use of marijuana, proponents of the measure say the tide is finally turning in their favor. Since 1996, nine states have enacted laws that effectively allow patients to use medical marijuana, despite federal law. A 10th state, Maryland, has a law that will protect patients from jail but not arrest. Medical marijuana was approved by voters in Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. In Hawaii, a law was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor in 2000. In Vermont, a law was passed by the legislature and allowed to become law without the governor's signature in May 2004, the Marijuana Policy Project reports.
