cannabisnews.com: State Ballot Question 9





State Ballot Question 9
Posted by CN Staff on October 24, 2002 at 07:07:32 PT
By Ed Vogel, Review-Journal Capital Bureau 
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal 
When residents cast their ballots on Question 9, STOP DUI Director Sandy Heverly wants them to ask a question: What good comes from decriminalizing marijuana? Heverly fears if Nevadans approve the ballot question and allow adults to possess as much as 3 ounces of marijuana, the end result will be more carnage on the highways and more drug use by juveniles.
"I honestly believe this is not the future we want for Nevada," said Heverly, a member of Nevadans Against Legalizing Marijuana. "It comes down to a matter of what is right and wrong." She points to a state Office of Traffic Safety study that showed 57 people died on Nevada highways between 1997 and 2001 in accidents involving drivers who had been using marijuana. Some of these drivers, however, also were abusing alcohol and other drugs, said Michael Perondi, a staff member at the office. "You only have to look at the statistics and speculate how many more fatalities we will have if we legalize marijuana," Heverly said. The move to make Nevada the first state with legal marijuana has captured the nation's attention. Media have flocked to Las Vegas to write accounts of the latest sin in Sin City. National drug czar John Walters has made two trips to Nevada and called marijuana a gateway drug that can destroy lives. Question 9 initially seemed to have the support of law enforcement officials when Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs President Andy Anderson announced his organization's backing. But police officials quickly slammed Anderson, who resigned over the issue. Law enforcement authorities since have spearheaded the opposition to Question 9. Under the ballot question, marijuana possession only would be allowed by adults 21 and older in the privacy of their homes. It would be illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana. Use in public and by those younger than 21 also would be prohibited. Question 9 recognizes the reality of today's America, said Billy Rogers, leader of Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement. Although the drug is illegal, many people continue to use marijuana, and they should not be considered criminals, he said. Rogers points to national studies that show 11 million Americans regularly use marijuana. "Despite all the good intentions of the drug czar, it is clear that they cannot stop responsible adults from using marijuana," said Rogers, whose organization collected 110,000 signatures on petitions to put the question on the ballot. "It is time we tried something different." To change the state constitution, Question 9 must be passed by voters in November and again in 2004. Besides allowing adults to possess 3 ounces, the proposition calls on the state Legislature to set up a system for the cultivation, taxing and sale of marijuana, presumably in state-run stores. Low-cost marijuana also would be made available for the 200 people with state permission to use marijuana for medical reasons. Former state Substance Abuse Commissioner Dorothy North said it is preposterous to think more children would not use marijuana if it became legal for their parents to possess the drug. "Look what happens to kids who get into marijuana," said North, who operates the Vitality House substance abuse center in Elko. "Bright and sharp kids lose their edge. Their energy to get out and go after it is gone." But Rogers maintains drug use among teen-agers will drop with legal marijuana for Nevada adults. He points to a Columbia University study earlier this year in which 34 percent of juveniles said they could easily obtain marijuana, compared with 14 percent who said they easily can get beer. Today, marijuana users must obtain the drug from illicit dealers. With passage of Question 9, Rogers predicted the dealers would leave Nevada because legal marijuana would be available through the state. "We know what happened with the end of Prohibition," Rogers said. "It put the bootleggers out of business. When Question 9 becomes law, you put the drug dealers out of business."Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)Author: Ed Vogel, Review-Journal Capital Bureau Published: Thursday, October 24, 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/Nevada Should Back Question 9 http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14539.shtmlNevada Pushes Next Frontier: Legalizing Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14503.shtmlPondering The Ballot Questionshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14491.shtml 
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Comment #10 posted by knox42897 on October 24, 2002 at 23:44:39 PT:
SEND MONEY AD EMAIL TO FRIENDS
If you were thinking about donating to the Marijuana Policy Project's
ballot initiative campaign in Nevada, would you please visit
http://www.NRLE.org right away? There are only 12 days left until
November 5. And you're not going to believe how close the vote is
so far ...The latest statewide poll of 600 Nevada voters -- completed on Tuesday
night -- shows that our ballot initiative is still trailing by a mere
44% to 46%, with 10% undecided. We have been 2% down since the polls
opened statewide on Saturday.Since Saturday, approximately 7,000 voters in the Las Vegas area have
been voting daily. (The county government issues daily reports on how
many people are voting, but not how they are voting.)With every day that passes, about 3,430 votes are falling into the
"yes" column in Las Vegas, and about 3,570 votes are falling into the
"no" column. The same trend is true on a smaller scale in Reno and the
rural counties.With every day that passes, we fall another 140 votes behind in Las
Vegas -- and a total of about 200 votes behind statewide. As of last
night, the cumulative voting from Saturday through Wednesday probably
puts us a total of 1,000 votes down statewide, out of about 50,000
votes cast.The good news is that we are still hanging on by our fingernails in
this bold campaign to end the arrest of all adult marijuana users in
Nevada. When we launched this campaign back in April, who would have
thought that we could defeat the federal government and the Nevada
police on this issue?But there is bad news, too. Our opponents are sitting on $100,000 of
the $200,000 they have raised for their TV ad campaign. They are going
to use their remaining $100,000 to blitz the Nevada electorate with
deceptive TV ads next week, and they need only maintain their 2%
margin over us during these last 12 days to defeat us.Our strategy, in the meantime, is to make up the 2% deficit and take
the lead by November 4, because literally half of the Nevada
electorate votes on November 5. Quite simply, we can do this if we
outspend our opponents two-to-one on TV next week. I reported to you
on Monday that our campaign needs to raise $100,000 from you and other
supporters this week. The $100,000 worth of TV ads we had already
reserved for next week, plus a new $100,000 from this e-mail list this
week, will mean that our TV ad blitz will double our opponents' blitz
next week, taking us to victory on November 5.Since Monday, our e-mail list and the Libertarian Party's e-mail list
have generated an astounding $24,500 for the Nevada campaign, leaving
us in need of only $75,500.Would you please visit http://www.NRLE.org to donate some of the
remaining $75,500 that is needed to finish off this campaign and
achieve victory on November 5?A donation of $10 will mean that 600 Nevada voters will see one of our
TV ads one time each; a donation of $50 means that 3,000 voters will
see our ad once. And a $250 donation -- which will pay for 15,000
voter impressions -- can be tax-deductible by visiting
http://www.NRLE.org/donate.html and checking the appropriate box.To give some perspective on how important the final $100,000 is to
this campaign, please consider this: The final $100,000 will ensure
that all 835,000 potential Nevada voters will see one of our TV ads
eight times each.This initiative to end the arrest of all marijuana users is by far the
best opportunity we have ever had to end marijuana prohibition
anywhere in the U.S. And this initiative has received generous support
from passionate MPP members and other allies in all 50 states ...Since we launched the Nevada campaign, 4,346 people in all 50 states
have donated financially to this effort. Unfortunately, 29,388 people
on this e-mail list have not donated anything.I want to thank you in advance if you decide you are able to make a
last-minute donation. Money equals TV airtime. Thank you!Sincerely,Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.P.S. By donating $250 or more now, you will receive a videotape of the
   TV news coverage and all TV ads from the Nevada campaign. Better
   yet, we are making a special offer whereby donations of $250 or
   more can be tax-deductible.P.P.S. Our first-ever national conference will begin three 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 .P.P.P.S. To donate through the mail, please send your check to MPP's
     Nevada Campaign, P.O. Box 77492, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC
     20013.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on October 24, 2002 at 14:09:19 PT
LTE
Sirs,  In your article, you mention STOP DUI Director Sandy Heverly as being against question 9 because she fears more impaired drivers on Nevada's roadways. Is she familiar with the recent Canadian Senate Committee report, which states that "cannabis alone, particularly in low doses, has little effect on the skills involved in automobile driving. Cannabis leads to a more cautious style of driving." People who drive under the influence of cannabis are much less of a danger than those who drive drunk; could not legal access to cannabis perhaps decrease the number of drunk drivers on the road?  John Walters has stated that Question 9 is funded in part by three out-of-state millionaires. One of them is Peter Lewis, CEO of Progressive Insurance. Would Mr. Lewis back a bill if it would increase the number of insurance claims?
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Comment #8 posted by DdC on October 24, 2002 at 13:58:39 PT
D.E.A.th Mongers Follow the Antichrist!
JC or DC?
http://boards.marihemp.com/boards/politics/media/40/40295.gifVillage Idiot
http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/36/36294.gifThe American Way
http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/33/33498.jpg
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on October 24, 2002 at 11:29:08 PT
Sent Letter
In reference to Ed Vogel's article, State Ballot Question 9.When you are talking politics, I don't have much to say. I abhor deception
and double-speak. When you talk "Right or Wrong" and "Sin", I know what's
true and what's not true.Since "sin" has been mentioned, I feel that I can mention religion in this
public forum. My religion is Christianity. I know true Christianity. Right
and wrong can be discerned by using Christ's parables as a tool of
discernment. "What goes into a man does not make him unclean." "What comes
out of his heart is what makes him clean or unclean". If there is a
judgment day, and I believe there will be, I feel sure that those who
imprisoned and persecuted their fellow man for using the herb, marijuana,
will fare much worse than those who merely used the plant for personal
benefit or even just for relaxation or fun. They will probably say something
like, "When did we bind and imprison you, Lord, for using a plant?"Some things are sins. Some things are not sins. They are "rules of men". I
have the ten commandments as a guide to right or wrong. Ten is enough, or
apparently God, if it's true that they were God breathed, thought so. The
first page of the Old Testament says we are given "every tree and seed
bearing plant" and the last page in the book of Revelations puts a curse on
any who would add to John's Revelations...and many people take that to mean
adding anything to the entire Bible.There are deceivers among us. The scriptures do not say that drinking or
smoking anything is a sin. The prohibitionist scream "mind altering". Give
me a break. Reading Scripture with the Holy Spirit of God...which is
Love...is a "mind altering" experience.As a final note, everyone in the United States, perhaps the world, although
"outsiders" to many Nevadans, will feel the effect of the results of State
Ballot Question 9. If it's about "right or wrong", or "sin" , or "What good
comes from decriminalizing marijuana?", then the answer is obvious. Vote yes
on Question 9.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by DdC on October 24, 2002 at 11:28:27 PT
Is There An Anti NOT Profiting On WoD?
STOP DUI Director Sandy Heverly a member of Nevadans Against Legalizing Marijuana.would be out of a position brainwashing kids and treating adults like criminals.National drug czar John Walters has made two trips to Nevada and called marijuana a gateway drug that can destroy lives. Besides the $20 billion budget he hands out to his pals and own bank account analysing urine and laundering tax shelters for corporations donating to the DARE Partnerships consisting of corporate Petro-Pharmaceuticals.Question 9 initially seemed to have the support of law enforcement officials when Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs President Andy Anderson announced his organization's backing. But police officials quickly slammed Anderson, who resigned over the issue. Law enforcement authorities since have spearheaded the opposition to Question 9 on the grounds that they would have to leave the doughnut shops and ditchweed eradications and actually work for a living. Besides the $Millions the Thugczar is pouring into Nevada copshops to criminalize sick people and responsible adults for legitimate law enforcement.Former state Substance Abuse Commissioner Dorothy North said it is preposterous to think we care, its the money stupid!"Look what happens to kids who get into marijuana," said North, who operates the Vitality House substance abuse center in Elko, forced on people regardless if it will actually help them. Forced treatment profits North. Treatment is better than jail, is not a realistic evalution of cannabis. If Milk was illegal and given the choice of forced treatment over jail Dorothy would get rich on Milk Prohibition.Peace, Love and Liberty in Solidarity or The Murdering Goofy D.E.A.th Assassins of Youth!
DdCD.E.A.th Deceptions
http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/DEAth.htmlU.S.Al Qaeda!
http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/39/39670.gifThugczar Wally
http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/35/35838.gifBush. Religious drug treatment in Texas  
http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionprohibitionistwodjunkies.showMessage?topicID=13.topicThe Assassins of Youth DARE the FRCn PDFA
http://pub3.ezboard.com/fendingcannabisprohibitionwhyitstimetolegalize.showMessage?topicID=105.topic
Drug Companies & DARE: Assassins of Youth Poster
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Comment #5 posted by John Tyler on October 24, 2002 at 10:23:25 PT
Bright people
I have know many bright, articulate, energetic, and creative people, (as have you all)over the last three decades who also use cannabis responsibly. They go to work. They run businesses. They own homes. They raise their children. They pay taxes. They vote. I can only think the prohibitionist have no first hand knowledge of what they are talking about. Their information is sixty year old propaganda. Prohibitionist people, open your eyes, think for yourselves, don't be so mean spirited. Cannabis users are good neighbors, good friends, and good citizens. The early settlers grew cannabis. Our founding fathers grew cannabis. Cannabis fed and clothed us. Cannabis is as American as apple pie and motherhood.
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Comment #4 posted by MikeEEEEE on October 24, 2002 at 09:21:39 PT
The antis always raise fears
But we've heard it all before.VOTE YES!
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Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on October 24, 2002 at 07:56:05 PT
this is not the future 
"I honestly believe that this is not the future that we want for Nevada"-Sandy HeverlyDoes she want a future similar to Rainbow Farm?"It is time we tried something different."-Billy RogersNo kiddingAl Martin has a take on the sniper and a few words about problems surrounding Noelle Bush and the bane of her existence.
http://www.almartinraw.com
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on October 24, 2002 at 07:55:16 PT
Woo Woo p4me
Thank you. I don't go to Alexa very often and that is nice to know. I'm amazed at the growth of Cannabis News and thank you and everyone for making it possible.I checked out the pictures last night and they were great. I love Rotts. I love my Rott. The only problem is he weighs at least 50 pounds more then me and can knock me over very easily and it hurts when he steps on my toes. He's a big wonderful dog who loves to sing a long with Janis Joplin when she sings Piece of My heart. Cool dog! 
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Comment #1 posted by p4me on October 24, 2002 at 07:43:05 PT
Cannabisnews Alexa Rating
On 9/11 Cnews was rated 72,394On 10/3 it had moved up to 71,262On 10/10 it advanced to 67,521Today the Alexa rating is 64,596.On Monday, Oct. 21, a new record was set with 111,373 hits and yesterday's total of 101,195 was yet another milestone- two 100,000+ days in the same week. It was only the 3rd and 4th time it ever happened. FoM, here is the link to some the pictures from the National Rotweiller Show: http://members15.clubphoto.com/mike646295/owner-cd32-1.phtml1
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