Marijuana advocates say initiative is on track

HELENA (AP) — Medical marijuana advocates say they are making progress toward placing an initiative on the ballot that would ask voters to repeal the state's new law cracking down on medical marijuana.

A group called Patients for Reform-Not Repeal is challenging the law adopted earlier this year. The law is also the focus of a court battle in which a judge has temporarily blocked parts of it.

Marijuana advocates want voters to throw the law out completely. To place it on the 2012 ballot the group will need more than 24,000 valid signatures in 34 of the 100 state House districts. With far more signatures, the group can suspend the law until the vote.

The group says it has so far gathered 30,000 signatures to turn over to election officials next month.