The same corporate interests pushing the negative campaign against Initiative 185 pushed cigarettes on me when I was deployed to Iraq.

They happily packed the base exchanges with cartons of cigarettes and racks of smokeless tobacco. The Big Tobacco companies made a healthy profit on our nation’s wars by taking money from American servicemen and servicewomen.

But now that we are home and struggling with the wounds of war, Big Tobacco is not there for us. It's dirty money funds this anti-initiative campaign and many veterans have willingly given money to these companies.

That is what makes their campaign so appalling. Initiative 185 will fill in the holes for medical coverage Montana veterans need to heal. Despite the claims inside of a shameless new television advertisement, the sponsors of Initiative 185 are not using veterans as props. They are using the initiative to ensure we get the care we deserve.

Want to thank a veteran for their service? Vote “yes” on Initiative 185 so we can care for them now that they are safely home. This is our duty.

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