cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Ballot Issue: Police Back Legalization 





Marijuana Ballot Issue: Police Back Legalization 
Posted by CN Staff on August 07, 2002 at 08:02:44 PT
By Jane Ann Morrison, Review-Journal
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal 
Advocates of changing the Nevada Constitution to decriminalize possession of 3 ounces or less of marijuana landed a significant endorsement from an unlikely source: police. Andy Anderson, president of the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs, said Tuesday that the group's board voted 9-0 to support Question 9, the ballot question that would block the arrest or prosecution of people 21 or older found with 3 ounces or less of marijuana. 
NCOPS' rationale: Police should be working more serious crimes. "We're not endorsing marijuana, we're not saying marijuana is good. We're saying we should be spending our time protecting and serving the public," Anderson said. "It's not cops for pot." However, the victory by ballot measure proponents was muddied somewhat. One board member was confused and thought he was voting on medical marijuana use. Also, the largest organization within NCOPS disagrees with the endorsement. Mick Gillins, assistant executive director of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, said he voted yes Monday under the belief he was supporting the use of marijuana for medical purposes. That was the Question 9 ballot question of 1998 and 2000. Gillins said while he initially misunderstood the ballot question, after discussing it again with Anderson, "I'm sticking with my vote." However, David Kallas, his boss at the PPA, said the PPA will not support the part of Question 9 that legalizes marijuana use for adults. The question also contains some language regarding the use of marijuana for medical purposes. "We don't have an issue with a proposal legalizing marijuana for medical purposes based on a doctor's prescription," Kallas said. NCOPS is an umbrella group representing police unions from Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, the Clark County School District and other police officer organizations in Nevada. NCOPS represents more than 3,000 members, of which 2,100 are PPA members. "The bottom line is, we think we can use our resources better than making simple marijuana arrests," Anderson said. Anderson predicted the NCOPS endorsement will have a major impact to help the passage of the question, which will be on November's ballot. Current polls show that Nevadans are divided on this question, which is opposed by federal drug officials and the Clark County district attorney's office. Billy Rogers is point man for the question's backers, Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, which is a subsidiary of the national Marijuana Policy Project. "This endorsement puts us over the top," he said, because it reinforces the message that police are spending too much time arresting people using small amounts of drugs. Rogers said his group spent $375,000 on the petition drive that qualified the ballot question and has raised about $150,000 so far for the campaign promoting the question. The NCOPS endorsement will be part of the group's ad campaign because officers are the most credible spokespersons on the issue, Rogers said. Both he and Kallas were surprised by the NCOPS endorsement. "A month ago, if you had told me we'd get this endorsement, I would not have thought it possible," Rogers said. Two candidates for sheriff both said they oppose Question 9. Capt. Randy Oaks said, "I am opposed to the legalization of even small amounts of marijuana, and while I empathize with the very few people who could benefit from its medicinal qualities, the experience in California is that it was largely abused and the people pushing this are not the people who need it for illness." Like Gillins, Oaks said he thought the Question 9 on this year's ballot was the medicinal marijuana question, which passed and is already in the Nevada Constitution. In the public's eyes, the two clearly have become intertwined, Oaks said, contending that leads to confusion. Deputy Chief Bill Young couldn't be reached Tuesday but told the Review-Journal editorial board on July 25 he opposes the new marijuana proposal because it "sends the wrong message to young people." He said the current way marijuana use is handled, with possession of 1 ounce being a misdemeanor that no one goes to jail for, is about right. However, he did add, "If older folks want to smoke marijuana in their own homes, I could care less." Young is endorsed by NCOPS, and Oaks said the pot question endorsement "speaks to the credibility of their endorsement." While federal drug officials have urged Nevadans to vote against Question 9, no group opposing it yet has organized formally. Gary Booker, the chief deputy district attorney in charge of the vehicular crimes unit, said that's about to change. A coalition of DUI and victims groups will be organizing to fight the ballot because of concern that the question will weaken DUI prosecutions. Booker said Nevada will be a laughingstock if the question passes. "Nobody else has mandated it's legal to smoke pot as a constitutional right," he said. "You amend your constitution to free slaves or enact women's rights or where there is a true constitutional evil. You don't change your constitution to allow people to smoke drugs." Booker said NCOPS was being "myopic" by taking the position that officers are wasting their time making drug arrests. He said this overlooks broader policy issues about drug use. Rogers pointed to the elements of the petition's language that would limit pot use. The question says the Legislature should write laws to provide penalties for driving dangerously while under the influence of marijuana, smoking pot in a vehicle or public place or distribution in a jail, prison or school. In 2000, the previous Question 9 approving marijuana for medical use passed with the support of 65 percent of voters. This new Question 9 must be approved by voters in 2002 and 2004 before taking effect. If the question is approved, Nevada, which had the strictest marijuana laws in the nation until 2001, would have the most lenient. Among the most lenient states, Ohio, New York, Maine, Mississippi and Nebraska now require police merely to issue citations for people possessing small amounts of marijuana. Offenders pay small fines, usually $100. Before 2001, possession of even small amounts in Nevada was a felony offense that could carry prison time but rarely did. After the medical use question passed, the Legislature decriminalized possession of 1 ounce or less in 2001. A recent Review-Journal and reviewjournal.com poll indicated Nevada voters are almost evenly split on the issue. The poll results concluded that 44 percent of Nevada voters surveyed support the initiative, 46 percent oppose it, while 10 percent are undecided.Note: Board of state group says officers have more pressing concerns. Complete Title: Marijuana Ballot Issue: Police Back Legalization MeasureSource: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)Author: Jane Ann Morrison, Review-JournalPublished: Wednesday, August 07, 2002Copyright: 2002 Las Vegas Review-JournalContact: letters lvrj.comWebsite: http://www.lvrj.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:NRLEhttp://www.nrle.org/Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Police Support Pot Initiative http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13652.shtmlOfficial Urges Police Officers to Oppose Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13534.shtmlNevada Becomes Marijuana Battle Groundhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13518.shtmlDEA Director Criticizes Marijuana Ballot Measurehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13388.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by ekim on August 07, 2002 at 20:08:42 PT
Our first-ever national conference will begin two 
Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2002 15:36:48 -0400
From: "Rob Kampia" 
Subject: Police endorse Nevada marijuana initiative
:Dear Friend:The Marijuana Policy Project's initiative campaign in Nevada has done
the impossible: We have secured the endorsement of the Nevada
Conference of Police and Sheriffs. With more than 3,000 members
statewide, NCOPS is the largest police association in Nevada."As a former law-enforcement officer, I know that a simple marijuana
arrest takes me off the street for half my shift," said NCOPS
President Andy Anderson today as he announced his organization's
ground-breaking endorsement. "Passage of Question 9 will ensure that
more cops are on the streets to protect our citizens from violent
crime and the threat of terrorism."If you are a student of marijuana policy reform, you know that
law-enforcement officials are usually the primary opponents of reform.
Now, with the police on our side in Nevada, it's hard to imagine who
our opponents will be. (Indeed, the Nevada Secretary of State couldn't
even find anyone to debate our campaign manager during two live
call-in TV shows on July 22 and 23!)Our campaign operation in Nevada is doing everything right. So it's
important that we all pitch in to ensure that they have the $100,000's
they need in order to be able to run hard-hitting TV ads at the end of
this campaign.If you have not yet become a part of this historic campaign, would you
please donate $10 or more at http://www.NRLE.org ? "Nevadans for
Responsible Law Enforcement" is the name of our PAC in Nevada.======================================================================This initiative to end the arrest of all marijuana users -- which
Nevadans will vote on in only 91 days -- is by far the best
opportunity we have ever had to end marijuana prohibition anywhere in
the country.(Please see http://www.NRLE.org for a compendium of news articles and
the complete text of the initiative.)Since this bold campaign was publicly announced three short weeks ago:* 1,258 subscribers on this e-mail list have donated a total of
$50,744, including one donation for $5,000 and another for $2,000* 185 subscribers said they cannot afford to donate* 61 people unsubscribed from this e-mail listUnfortunately, 43,496 subscribers have not yet responded, and our
records show that you are in this group. Would you please go to
http://www.NRLE.org or the bottom of this message to choose one of the
three options above for how you want to participate (or not
participate) in the Nevada campaign?If you and most of the other subscribers on this list would each
donate $10 or more between now and Election Day, this will generate
all of the money we need to run hard-hitting TV ads in Nevada at the
end of the campaign ... which will catapult our initiative to an
historic victory on November 5.======================================================================MPP's internal polling and the polling that has been conducted by two
major newspapers in Nevada all show that our initiative campaign is in
a dead heat ... with only 13 weeks to go!In a political campaign where both sides are running
neck-and-neck, the side with the most money wins. Would you please
visit http://www.NRLE.org to donate $10 or more to the Nevada
initiative campaign?Thank you for anything you can do to help.Sincerely,Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.P.S. With only 91 days until November 5, we don't have much time to
raise the substantial sum of money that is needed to run
hard-hitting TV ads at the end of the campaign. Please visit
http://www.NRLE.org right away to donate $10 or more. Thank you!P.P.S. By donating $250 or more now, you will receive a videotape of
all of the campaign's hard-hitting TV ads in October, as well
as all of the TV news coverage of the Nevada campaign. Better
yet, we are making a special offer whereby donations of $250 or
more can be tax-deductible.P.P.P.S. Our first-ever national conference will begin two days after
Election Day in Anaheim, California. To join us for what will
hopefully be a victory celebration, please register at
http://www.mpp.org/conference .
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Comment #5 posted by freedom fighter on August 07, 2002 at 19:48:23 PT
Someone, Please, Be Quick!
Tell this Fool, Gary Booker"Booker said Nevada will be a laughingstock if the question passes. "Nobody else has mandated it's legal to smoke pot as a constitutional right," he said. "You amend your constitution to free slaves or enact women's rights or where there is a true constitutional evil. You don't change your constitution to allow people to smoke drugs." "Please be quick and tell Mr. Booker that "Nobody else has manadated it's illegal to smoke pot as a constitutional right!"NOWHERE in the United States of Constitutional stated that you cannot smoke drugs! If what Mr. Booker stated is true, the why in the hell is Nevada selling tobacco? Last time I check, tobacco is a drug!Ohhhh, Someone, Please, Be Quick!!ff
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Comment #4 posted by Dan B on August 07, 2002 at 11:51:04 PT:
Pressure From Above
"NCOPS represents more than 3,000 members, of which 2,100 are PPA members."Think about this: NCOPS is the largest police organization in Nevada. That mean PPA has to have fewer than 3000 members.  Further, 2100 NCOPS members are PPA members. Mathematically speaking, it makes little sense that a group that makes up 70% of the NCOPS, which agrees with the ballot initiative, does not agree with the initiative. In other words, it stands to reason that the largest organization within NCOPS would contain a large segment of police who favor the initiative. I think I've pinpointed the source of the problem:"Gillins said while he initially misunderstood the ballot question, after discussing it again with Anderson, 'I'm sticking with my vote.' However, David Kallas, his boss at the PPA, said the PPA will not support the part of Question 9 that legalizes marijuana use for adults. The question also contains some language regarding the use of marijuana for medical purposes
"In other words, the higher-ups (PPA) are trying to negate the efforts of their "subordinates" (majority of NCOPS) by strong-arming a vote change. Fortunately, the "underlings" aren't standing for it.This is a classic case of the guys behind desks thinking they know how to handle things better than the guys out on the streets dealing with these issues on a daily basis. They "let" the majority express its opinion, and now the ruling 1% wants to have its say--and to have it count more than the majority. This is precisely the situation we are in when the federal government dictates its policies to the states, instead of vice versa (which is how it was supposed to be), but on a smaller scale. Like the majority of the larger civilian population, the majority of police don't want people to get busted for possessing cannabis, and like the larger population, the minority tries to force the majority to comply with its wishes.Only it isn't working this time. Notice that Gillins isn't buckling under Kallas's pressure: "I'm sticking with my vote."Bravo, Gillins!Dan B
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Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on August 07, 2002 at 08:42:43 PT
The Trojan stalking horse's nose is in the tent
The anti's in Nevada keep telling us again and again that people are confused about medical and legalization. Funny, but I've never heard Billy Rogers even mention the word "medical" - he always says "legalization".Just shows how it's the anti's that exploit medical MJ patients to advance their "hidden agenda", not us.
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Comment #2 posted by Robbie on August 07, 2002 at 08:27:55 PT
Depends on what the definition of "was" is
while I empathize with the very few people who could benefit from its medicinal qualities, the experience in California is that it was largely abusedWas? I believe it's still the law here, sparky. "largely abused" I'd love to see his evidence that Prop. 215 has been "largely abused." I think it's just basic dishonesty by a prohib in the face of such overwhelming favor of Question 9.Deputy Chief Bill Young...did add, "If older folks want to smoke marijuana in their own homes, I could care less."But they have to go to the street to get it, where danger lurks and cocaine and heroin reside. So, he doesn't care if older folks want to smoke it in their home, but they still can't have it, and they'll be put in jail if they have some outside of their homes. Nice way to undercut his own paean to those against cannabis laws. Nice job, chief. 
Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement
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Comment #1 posted by VitaminT on August 07, 2002 at 08:14:43 PT
something has to be done
about cop illiteracy! How about a War on Cop Illiteracy.
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