cannabisnews.com: Nevada Can't Make Profits from Marijuana Sales Nevada Can't Make Profits from Marijuana Sales Posted by CN Staff on August 26, 2002 at 18:23:51 PT By Martin Griffith, Associated Press Source: Las Vegas Sun A group's contention that the state could reap millions of dollars by selling and taxing marijuana was branded as "misleading" and a "pipe dream" by a leading opponent of the drive to permit adult Nevadans to legally possess marijuana. Washoe County District Attorney Dick Gammick on Monday criticized Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, which supports the initiative on the November election ballot. Gammick said federal laws would prohibit the state from selling and taxing marijuana. His comments came after the leader of the pro-marijuana drive, Billy Rogers, said his group has commissioned a study to determine how much the state might receive if it grew marijuana and sold it in stores like the ones Utah uses for liquor sales. "When he gives pipe dreams and makes these comments about all the money the state is going to make he's totally ignoring the fact that the sale and possession of marijuana is against federal law and the federal government isn't going to allow that to happen unless there's a change by Congress," Gammick said. "This is nothing more than another misleading statement to try to get people to vote for its legalization. ... It's a ruse on the voting public to do nothing but legalize drugs," he said. Rogers accused Gammick of resorting to "scare tactics" to try to defeat Question 9. He noted the nation's drug czar, John Walters, has said if Nevadans vote for the initiative, the federal government would not "strong arm" them by stepping up enforcement of federal drug possession laws. "The drug czar has said if this initiative passes the feds won't crack down on Nevada," Rogers said. "He has said people have the right to make their own decisions. "Unfortunately, the opponents would rather scare the voters than debate the issue because the facts are not on their side. We're confident the Legislature will enact a system (for selling and taxing marijuana) that will not invite federal intervention," he added. Walters' spokesman Tom Riley accused Rogers of taking his boss's comments out of context. Walters, head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said at a July 24 news conference in Las Vegas that federal officials would not step up enforcement of small drug possession cases if the Nevada measure passes. "That's totally misleading, what he (Rogers) said," Riley said. "The district attorney is absolutely correct when he says we would not allow the state to tax and sell marijuana. "The sale of marijuana is a violation of federal law and there is nothing that a state referendum can do to change that," he said. In California, federal officials repeatedly have raided cannabis clubs and made arrests despite a 1996 ballot initiative allowing certain medical patients to grow, possess and use marijuana. Gammick said the initiative is the work of a national group that wants to see marijuana legalized and not a grass-roots effort of Nevadans. Rogers' group is a subsidiary of the Medical Marijuana Project of Washington, D.C. His group collected well over the 60,000 signatures necessary to get it on the ballot. Supporters argue it is a waste of taxpayer dollars to prosecute minor pot offenders. Voters will be asked whether to amend the Nevada Constitution and allow the possession of 3 ounces or less by adults. The initiative, if approved by voters this fall and again in 2004, also would force the 2005 Legislature to set up a system to regulate "the cultivation, taxation, sale and distribution of marijuana" to adult Nevadans. Complete Title: Prosecutor: Nevada Can't Make Profits from Marijuana SalesSource: Las Vegas Sun (NV)Author: Martin Griffith, Associated PressPublished: August 26, 2002 Copyright: 2002 Las Vegas Sun, Inc.Contact: letters lasvegassun.comWebsite: http://www.lasvegassun.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:NRLEhttp://www.nrle.org/Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Nevada Voters Decide on Legalizing Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13884.shtmlMarijuana Initiative: Economic Benefits Toutedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13859.shtmlVote May Affect National Policyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13805.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by knox42897 on August 26, 2002 at 22:34:03 PT: time is running out on them They realize that tis is indeed going to pass. They have said that the polls show its a toss up. I believe that to be misleading. We will win initiative by 65%. Then other states will change there laws and finally the fed's will too. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by pokesmotter on August 26, 2002 at 19:53:24 PT: its only a matter of time before ignorant people scared of change will realize they are wrong and then try to fight it harder. damn i feel sorry for those people. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by jvthc on August 26, 2002 at 19:14:28 PT: Precisely! The point is that we do want to legalize marijuana, and a conflict between state law and federal law is exactly the kind of pressure we need to exert in order to help bring that into fruition.Indeed, the state would be in violation of federal law when attempting to establish distribution, meanwhile personal possession would be legal, private illegal cultivation and existing black market sale would flourish while that plays out, and in the struggle for just who has power, the people will make their voice heard! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by AlvinCool on August 26, 2002 at 18:43:22 PT Scared Terrified aren't they? It's a damn shame that states, in the 20's, were proud to support state law and adopt federal law as they saw fit. Now state officials cry and whine that the federal government is almighty and state laws mean ziltch.Once again I say, aren't these STATE officials? What happens to the enforcment of this particular federal law if state officials refuse to help them in any way, which is I believe their right? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment