Montana medical marijuana patient Scott Day passed away

I have some very sad news to report: Yesterday, Scott Day unexpectedly passed away. Scott suffered from a terminal degenerative disease called muccopolysaccharidosis. He used medical marijuana to get relief from his constant pain and muscle spasms. Our thoughts and condolences are with Scott's family.

Earlier this year, Scott and his wife Summer were raided, arrested, and charged with manufacturing marijuana. Despite the fact that Scott was clearly growing and using marijuana to treat the symptoms of his terminal illness, the county moved forward with their prosecution. Although Scott is dead, the charges are still pending against Summer, and her case is scheduled to go to trial in February. Please take a moment to contact the county attorney in Beaverhead, Jed Fitch, and urge him not to prosecute Summer Day. Please also include his administrative assistant, Amy Walker, on your e-mail.

Jed Fitch — county attorney — jfitch@co.beaverhead.mt.us
Amy Walker — administrative assistant — awalker@co.beaverhead.mt.us
 
It is important to be very polite in your letter to the county attorney and his assistant. Here are some points you can use:

• Summer Day has already suffered too much.
• This is a poor use of county resources because she will almost surely be acquitted under Montana's medical marijuana law.
• Mr. Finch should have some compassion and use the discretion he has to drop charges.
• It is cruel to prosecute Summer Day for trying to help her husband relieve his suffering in the final months of his life.

It would also be helpful to send letters to the editor of the local newspapers. If you would like to send a letter to the editor, please contact me by e-mailing Zane@mpp.org.

Those close to Scott noted that his final six months of life were plagued with constant fear and anxiety due to the government's unwillingness to show compassion. The least Beaverhead County can do now is not force Summer to live with the same fear and anxiety as she deals with the grief of losing her husband.