cannabisnews.com: Nevada Voters Face Marijuana Initiative





Nevada Voters Face Marijuana Initiative
Posted by CN Staff on October 30, 2002 at 11:08:31 PT
By William Ferchland, Tahoe Daily Tribune 
Source: Tahoe Daily Tribune 
With a handful of marijuana-related initiatives on ballots across the nation, Nevada's Question 9 is seen as the most far-reaching, controversial and aggressive during a time of escalating pro-marijuana discussion.Question 9 was placed on the November ballot when Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement representatives collected about 109,000 signatures. It states an adult can possess up to 3 ounces of the leafy drug which could be bought at state-licensed shops.
Critics have said the initiative, which would need to pass this November and again in November 2004 to legally change the state's Constitution, would transform the state into a quasi-Amsterdam while attracting the wrong kind of tourists.Proponents believe the initiative is the right step to decriminalize marijuana and construct a system where medical marijuana patients can safely buy their medicine at a low cost. The passage of the initiative would allow authorities to focus on violent crimes rather than "tens of thousands of non-violent marijuana users," the NRLE's Web site states.Both sides have their own facts, figureheads and finances. But mixed in the middle is federal law stating possession of marijuana is illegal.Bruce Mirken is the communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., which funds and supports the Question 9 campaign. Mirken had two reasons why federal law wouldn't supersede Question 9 if the initiative becomes law in January 2005."We would hope that the federal government would recognize that shift in opinion and rethink some of its similar laws," Mirken said.If the government doesn't consider the end of marijuana prohibition, Mirken cited a commerce clause in the Constitution which would make it difficult for federal authorities to impose restrictions if Nevada doesn't import or export marijuana.Mirken mentioned a UNLV study that found taxation of marijuana sales would bring nearly $29 million in state revenue if 750,000 regular users bought marijuana at $250 an ounce. This money would go into the general fund.Bob Wenner, chief deputy with the Douglas County Sheriff's Department, expressed his opinion that legal marijuana would increase traffic accidents and provide a readily available gateway drug for adults and children."We have enough drunk drivers on the road as it is," Wenner said. "We don't need to double that."Deputy Chris Griffith, the D.A.R.E. officer for fifth-graders, was concerned with possible long-term health issues."We're definitely not in favor of it," Griffith said. "It's not good role-modeling and marijuana is a gateway drug."Besides Wenner and Griffith, Nevada Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa announced on Oct. 17 that she opposes the initiative and discredited a commercial supporting Question 9 that suggested she favored the initiative."Although I understand and share concerns about medical uses regarding pain management and so on, Question 9 is not the answer," she said in a statement.To nobody's surprise, drug czar John Walters and Drug Enforcement Administration chief Asa Hutchinson have been outspoken critics of the initiative. Walters has visited Las Vegas numerous times to speak to residents.Arizona has a marijuana initiative that, if passed, would create a medical marijuana card and distribution system, reduce possession to a civil fine and would require a conviction before asset forfeiture in drug cases.An initiative in South Dakota would make it legal for people to plant and possess hemp plants that have 1 percent or less of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active ingredient in marijuana that stimulates the high.Mirken, from the Marijuana Policy Project, said the organization has supplied about $1.9 million to the Question 9 crusade. Numerous polls regarding Question 9 have found support slipping. A poll sponsored by the Las Vegas Review-Journal found 60 percent of 625 registered voters against Question 9 while 36 were in favor and 4 percent were undecided.Mirken seemed unfazed by the poll."That poll, I think, has little relationship to what's going to happen in the election," Mirken said. "A lot of our supporters aren't regular voters who feel disenchanted from politics."Steven Brown, a 67-year-old science teacher at Lake Tahoe Community College, thinks the initiative would allow people to abuse marijuana."I think it's just opening up Pandora's box," Brown said from his Zephyr Cove home, adding, "If drugs are needed for people with various diseases, then they can get legal pharmaceutical prescriptions."Rachel West, a 24-year-old LTCC student, had a different view."I think it's a good idea," she said. "It's good for the economy and good for people because they don't have to hide what they do."Complete Title: Nevada Voters Face Controversial Marijuana InitiativeSource: Tahoe Daily Tribune (CA)Author: William Ferchland, Tahoe Daily Tribune Published: October 30, 2002Copyright: 2002 Tahoe-Carson Area Newspapers Contact: tribune tahoe.com Website: http://www.tahoedailytribune.comRelated Articles & Web Sites:NRLEhttp://www.nrle.org/Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Doctors Free To Discuss Pot Use with Patientshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14604.shtmlVoters to Decide on Hemp Initiativehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14596.shtmlNevada Pushes Next Frontier: Legalizing Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14503.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #2 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on October 30, 2002 at 13:50:01 PT
LTE
Sirs,  Many critics of Question 9, including Bob Wenner and Frankie Sue Del Papa in your article, have said they fear an increase in impaired driving. However, to say a drunk driver poses the same threat as a marijuana-intoxicated driver is absurd. The recent Canadian Senate Committee report comes to the conclusion that "cannabis alone, particularly in low doses, has little effect on the skills involved in automobile driving." They recommend lowering the alcohol tolerance from .1% to .04% when cannabis is detected, while calling cannabis on its own is a minimal danger. Might we actually see less drinking if more people have access to marijuana?  One of the three major backers of Question 9 is Peter Lewis, head of Progressive Insurance. If his research proved this would lead to more automobile accidents, wouldn't he be against it?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by pokesmotter on October 30, 2002 at 12:04:23 PT:
wake up
opponents of question 9: we can speculate all day on how much this may or may not change nevada. the point is no one knows till it is law. it is high time (pun intended) that we at least give it a try. i think we may all be surprised at the results. oh, and those of you who say "think of the children": tell them not to smoke weed still. tell them not to drink. tell them not to gamble. tell them not to have sex with prostitutes. they will make their own decisions.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment