cannabisnews.com: NV: Support Falling for Legalization of Marijuana NV: Support Falling for Legalization of Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on September 01, 2002 at 18:30:45 PT By The Associated Press Source: Las Vegas Sun Support is fading for a proposal to make Nevada the first state to legalize marijuana, according to a statewide poll by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The survey found 55 percent of likely voters oppose Question 9 on the November election ballot. Forty percent of respondents back the measure, and 5 percent are undecided. The results are a dramatic shift from a similar poll in early July, when 44 percent of the respondents said they favored legal pot, while 46 percent were opposed. Passage this year and again in 2004 would change the state constitution and allow adult Nevadans to legally possess 3 ounces or less of marijuana. The telephone survey of 625 likely voters was conducted Monday and Tuesday by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. of Washington, D.C. The results have a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Support has waned because law enforcement leaders have begun to focus on the issue, said Brad Coker, managing director of Mason-Dixon. Coker said he was not surprised at the numbers. "All it takes is a little push from law enforcement and people back off," he said. "It certainly won't pass." Washoe County District Attorney Richard Gammick said he thinks "people are now learning the truth." "All the proponents want to do is legalize marijuana so they can smoke dope," Gammick said. "Now that people realize their motivation, they are making a rational decision about it." Possession of 1 ounce or less or marijuana in Nevada is a misdemeanor subject to a $600 fine for the first two offenses. Gammick said pot supporters left the false impression that passage of Question 9 was necessary to implement the state's medical marijuana program. Two years ago, 65 percent of voters passed a constitutional amendment that led to establishment of a state medical marijuana program. Although Question 9 would require the state to provide low-cost marijuana to medical marijuana recipients, its main focus would be setting up a system to allow adults to possess small amounts of pot without reprisal. The ballot question provides a vehicle for the state to tax and sell marijuana. Gammick has said federal laws would prohibit the state from doing so, but Billy Rogers, who leads the drive to make marijuana possession legal in the state, has argued the nation's drug czar is already on record as saying he won't step up enforcement of federal drug laws if the measure passes. Rogers said his own polls show Nevadans remain split on the marijuana question. His group, Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, collected nearly 110,000 signatures on petitions from residents seeking to place Question 9 on the ballot. Rogers said the latest poll shows his organization must do a better job of explaining the issue to voters. The group has raised $525,000 in contributions and intends to launch a fall campaign, including TV spots, to explain the question. In particular, he said the group must emphasize that passage of the question only would allow adults to possess marijuana in the privacy of their homes, not in public places or while driving. Use of the drug by minors also would remain illegal. "If that is what voters are hearing on election day, we will win the election," Rogers said. "We have to let them know exactly what is in the initiative." Rogers' organization has maintained the public will be better served if police concentrate on more serious crimes than wasting time arresting and booking people for small amounts of marijuana. Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV)Published: September 01, 2002Copyright: 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/Polls Show Support Falling for Legalization http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13953.shtmlMarijuana is Bad, Mmm'kay? Don't Smokehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13944.shtmlQuestion 9: Marijuana Support Falls in Pollhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13942.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #7 posted by bbbb on September 02, 2002 at 00:19:58 PT ....yup.... ....Another devious pile of sleazy propaganda from the depths of the empires Office of Spin!......Do we see an author here????...hmmm,,wonder why???..........Keep in mind,,this is pure CRAP!....this is as reputable as a crack whore!. .If I owned,or regulated a major media outlet like AP,,,then I could write a similar "press release",,that has no writer.... My press releases would say; Feds scrounge to interfere with will of the people!...... ;;"SUPPORT FOR NEVADA MARIJUANA LAW GAINS MOMENTUM AS VOTERS REBEL AGAINST FEDERAL ASSHOLE NATZI SHITHEADS!!"... . .ONDCP and DEA czars use taxpayers money to fund propaganda campaign!.. Soviet style "press release" tactics ,used against American people by evil federal empire! ...Russ Fiengold,and Ron Paul on ticket for 2004! AUTHORITIES ARE BAFFLED AS WEIRD 4D GUY FROM OUTER SPACE DEFEATS AL-QUEADA BY HUNTING DOWN BIN-LADEN,AND GIVING HIM A FATAL WEDGIE!..WAR ON TERROR FINALLY ENDS!....BUSH SAYS MILITARY CAN NOW CONCENTRATE ON FIGHTING WAR ON DRUGS,AND ROUNDING UP USERS OF ILLEGAL DRUGS AS ENEMY COMBATANTS.......... .......?........... [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by BGreen on September 01, 2002 at 23:24:32 PT Law enforcement is LYING to the people of NV All this BS about kids smoking dope has got to be countered with the truth. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on September 01, 2002 at 22:58:33 PT It's By The Associated Press When I don't see an author's name in an article I always wonder who is writing the article and why. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by legalizeit on September 01, 2002 at 22:50:25 PT "Objective" Pollsters? >Coker said he was not surprised at the numbers. "All it takes is a little push from law enforcement and people back off," he said. "It certainly won't pass."How are we supposed to trust results from a polling co. whose managing director makes such a biased comment?I bet the prohibs pushed for this poll. Why else would a Washington-based polling organization be so interested in spinning the goings-on in NV? Now they are, of course, using numbers that appear to be in their favor to scare the populace into voting for the status quo. And the media are helping, first by reporting such "news" and secondly by referring to a change only a few points outside the margin of error as "dramatic."I'd like to know how Mason-Dixon (named, by the way, after a component of DEAland's racist past) created its list of "likely voters." Could they have brushed off younger voters (more likely to support the measure) as "not so likely to vote"?I don't think the voters won't be badgered so easily this time by the big propaganda machine. Especially after seeing the high-profile wishy-washiness of NCOPS!!Nevadans, please don't blow this one!! (Stuff it in a bowl, light, inhale deeply and hold it in first!) [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by CannabisMan on September 01, 2002 at 22:13:53 PT: The more people that smoke it, the easier it is... To legalize it. When people lose their egos after smoking pot, spread it far and wide, then it becomes easier and easier as time goes on for people to stop being control freaks and lighten the fuck up.For example, my own mother smoked pot for 8 years and even cultivated it with my dad, but now she only drinks alcohol on occassion and doesnt smoke pot.The easiest way I could change that around is to give her ganja brownies to eat not telling her they were laced with cannabis. But Im not sure if Im ready to do that as it might make her angry at me or something. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Gary Storck on September 01, 2002 at 22:06:09 PT Polls can be wrong Right before the GA primary for Barr & Linder, they were pretty much in a dead heat in the polls. Then Linder wins 2 to 1 on election day. Way way higher than the margin of error in the poll. So while they try to spin the latest NV poll, we really don't know until the votes are counted. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by The GCW on September 01, 2002 at 19:06:32 PT There is app. 1 month to register TO VOTE!One of the things that needs to be done, is to make sure that people that are not registered are registered 30 DAYS in advance, of the election.The last 30 days, will require a lot of work, but at that time it will be too late for getting people reg... [ Post Comment ] Post Comment