cannabisnews.com: State Voters Reject Legalizing Marijuana










  State Voters Reject Legalizing Marijuana

Posted by CN Staff on November 06, 2002 at 08:40:13 PT
By Ed Vogel, Review-Journal Bureau 
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal  

The drive to make Nevada the first state with legal marijuana failed overwhelmingly Tuesday as voters decisively defeated Question 9. Nearly complete statewide returns showed 61 percent of the voters opposed Question 9. Passage would have allowed adults to possess as much as 3 ounces of marijuana. Thirty-nine percent backed the initiative placed on the ballot through petitions circulated by Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement. 
"We are elated," said Sandy Heverly, one of the leaders of the Coalition Against Legalized Marijuana. "I think the message we have sent to these people is never underestimate the power of good people who have a lot of passion." Heverly, executive director of STOP DUI, had emphasized throughout the campaign that Nevadans did not need another legal drug added to the problems already associated with alcohol abuse. She said 57 people have died in the last five years in accidents involving Nevada motorists who had used marijuana and that with legalization that number would increase. "Once you leave the glitz and glamor of the Las Vegas Strip, you will find families who go to work every day, go to church and who do not want their children subjected to more drugs in our society," she said. The move to make Nevada the first state with legal marijuana captured the nation's attention. Media flocked to Las Vegas to write accounts of the latest sin in Sin City and national drug czar John Walters made two trips to Nevada, calling marijuana a gateway drug that can destroy lives. Billy Rogers, leader of Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, said the question recognized the reality of today's world. Although the drug is illegal, Rogers said, many people will continue to use it and they should not be considered criminals. He pointed to studies that show 11 million Americans regularly use marijuana and 80 million have tried the drug. If approved Tuesday and again in 2004, Question 9 would have obligated the Legislature to regulate, cultivate, sell and tax marijuana. Low cost marijuana would have been made available to people with permission to use marijuana for medical reasons. Rogers attributed the defeat to the strong national wave of support for Republicans and the high quality television commercials produced by Walters in his move to defeat the question. "Obviously, I thought we were going to do better," Rogers said. "Clearly there was a conservative wave that caught us. We knew we were going to get clobbered by Republicans. I think we won among Democrats." But he said he advised his staff not to give up and predicted that eventually marijuana use will become legal for adults. "I don't think the voters were saying we should throw people in jail for smoking marijuana in the privacy of their homes," he said. "I think they were afraid that more people might drive under the influence of marijuana and more children might use marijuana." He added that high profile deaths involving drivers who had used marijuana also may have contributed to the defeat of Question 9. "These tragic events were beyond our control," Rogers said. "In hindsight, we could have been more clear about the safeguards in Question 9 to protect people on the road from anyone under the influence of marijuana." Voters interviewed at the polling places in both rural and urban Nevada had strong viewpoints about Question 9. "I don't think it is any more dangerous than alcohol or tobacco," said George Schmidt, a middle-aged man outside a polling place in Douglas County. "If you got them, smoke them." But Wes Stephenson, a voter at Dean La Mar Elementary School in Las Vegas, said he was very conservative and voted against Question 9. "It's the way I believe," he said. "It's my core values."Note: Question 9 loses by wide margin.Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)Author: Ed Vogel, Review-Journal BureauPublished: Wednesday, November 06, 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/Marijuana Legalization Backers Suffer Defeats http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14670.shtmlLocal View: Reefer Madness Strikes Againhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14624.shtml

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Comment #22 posted by eco-man on November 07, 2002 at 03:20:59 PT
Vote yes on the initiative you like!
knox42897. Your idea for multiple initiatives is brilliant. Because your could collect signatures for several initiatives at the same time. Have people sign 2 to 4 initiatives on the same clipboard. This would save a lot of money in getting initiatives on the ballot. And it would be funny to see what the opponents today would say to this question: "So you are saying you would vote for the initiative now that it legalizes only one ounce?"*MMM (Million Marijuana March. 200 cities worldwide. Email list archives: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cannabisaction 
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Comment #21 posted by DANA on November 07, 2002 at 01:26:34 PT
..hurry up...
..because it wont be long,until the empire puts an end to these initiatives!..I'm sure they have already been targeted for modification by the new regime!..
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Comment #20 posted by knox42897 on November 07, 2002 at 00:32:59 PT:
NEW INITIATIVES
Hello All,
I wanted to tell everyone we are going to have new initiatives next tie. 150,000 peple voted for 9, only takes 68,000 people to get an initiative on the ballot. The nrle has everyones phone numbers and address's should be no problem to another initiative on the ballot, in fact multiple ballots. I am thinking one for just 1 ounce of MJ, one for medical MJ. Another that calls for complete legalization of MJ. Another that makes it a statecrime for a medical agent to raid a medical MJ patient.The idea is to have so many initiative's that the voter's have an option of voting no and maybe and yes. The more initiatives the more likely one will pass. And since the info is already collected it should be cost efficient to gather the signatures for all of these new initiatives 
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Comment #19 posted by DdC on November 06, 2002 at 23:42:50 PT
State rejects reject common sense...
"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. -The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light"-PlatoWar Collateral Damage...November! 
http://mir.drugtext.org/novemberFully Informed Jury
http://www.fija.orgHow FIJA Saved My Life!
http://serendipity.magnet.ch/jsmill/fija1293.htmTruth or DARE
http://www.tfy.drugsense.org/tfy/TRUTHORD.HTMDouble DARE: Countering the Lies from D.A.R.E.
http://www.tfy.drugsense.org/tfy/dbldare.htmDare we admit it? Drug war is a bust with our children.
http://www.tfy.drugsense.org/dare.htmDARE Search
http://www.tfy.drugsense.org/dscgi/swish.plHuman Rights and the Drug War
http://hr95.org/What will become of these children?Over 80% of the female prisoners in the United States are mothers, and 70% of them are single parents. Two-thirds of incarcerated women in the US have children under the age of 18. 1.5 million children have a parent in jail or prison; another 3.5 million children have a parent on parole or probation. Sources: 1996 Prison Law Project of the National Lawyers Guild. 1995, Bureau of Justice statistics Jodie Israel Serving 11 years for marijuana conspiracy.Her husband, Calvin Treiber is serving 29 years."They have made orphans of the children. They cry and miss their parents whom they love and were good to them." -- Winnie Crowley, mother of Jodie IsraelPOW Gallery
http://hr95.org/hr95faces.html
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Comment #18 posted by eco-man on November 06, 2002 at 20:02:50 PT
hide-bound morons. 
"Obviously, I thought we were going to do better," Rogers said. "Clearly there was a conservative wave that caught us. We knew we were going to get clobbered by Republicans. I think we won among Democrats." The Republicans are actually scared of this growing perception of them as hide-bound morons. The rest of the world feels that way about Bush and his fundamentalist power-base. And the rest of the world is pro-MMM! 200 cities worldwide! Million Marijuana March (MMM). Global Cannabis Action: 
http://corporatism.tripod.com/mmmlinks.htm Most people didn't vote. Because the Democrats are really just another wing of the corporate Republicrat Party. Did anybody see that much difference between the 2 parties? I didn't. A real Labor-Green Party would kick Republican butt. And they know it. Where is Franklin Roosevelt when we need him? 
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on November 06, 2002 at 14:42:37 PT
The GCW
If I didn't believe that changing the laws against Cannabis was the right thing to do I wouldn't do it. Life is too short to buck against something if you are convicted it's wrong. I pray and I believe that we must be do gooders but not like most people think a do gooder is. I want approval but not necessarily from other people if that makes sense. Thanks again. 
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Comment #16 posted by The GCW on November 06, 2002 at 14:29:08 PT
Thank You, FoM,
Keep in mind, those were not just words. Those were Truth's.We did win. Not as much as We hoped for... But We went forward and not an inch back.When the HEADS, consider all the ramifications, We may realize the differences and patterns of off year elections, that will be different in 2 years. FoM, You and others mentioned various beliefs in "God". Realize, We are on the righteous side of this issue, for only one side conflicts with Our Fathers wishes. We are going to need to work with Our Father on this issue as for the time. IF SOMEONE SHOULD BE SAD, IT IS THE DEMOCRATS! THEY WILL BE WANTING TO FIND ANY MOMENTUM. We should help them find some of it within cannabis.  I am through with Dems. or anyone that supports caging humans for using the plant cannabis. There are enough of Us that We may be able to consider approaching the Democratic party, able to guarantee votes to candidates that wish to make cannabis, not a part of the war on drugs.Right now it is a war on drugs and a plant. 
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on November 06, 2002 at 13:47:37 PT
The GCW 
Thank you. I need to hear words like that. I love being a almost pollyanna type person but this is hard to handle and my happy go lucky thinking goes too. I even have a headache but more then that my heartaches. 
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Comment #14 posted by The GCW on November 06, 2002 at 13:42:25 PT
On the skin level, I am sad.
But We have won. We will continue winning. We have taken this issue and placed it on the pro's laps. We have put them on notice, We'll still be here and We'll be back.The discredite pro's cringed at even seeing 9 on the election ballot.I like that.We have great gains and momentum. We have lost nothing in the elections. It is only gains, which We incur.Sad? Always. But even more, I am pleased with Our progress. Let's thank Ourselves and pat Us on the back. We have done well.I'm a soldier, and this fight wasn't stopping if NV. won. And I'm still fighting.Again, We have lost nothing on this election day, but rather have made some gains.Replace sadness with joy.For We are winners and We are still moving in that direction.
 
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on November 06, 2002 at 13:21:41 PT

kanabys
And thank you too. I could post more articles but I don't think I will right now. We all need to rest. It really has me sad but we've all been sad before. We will recovery and go on. We can't stop now. In this last 24 hour period the front page hits for C News were over 5,500. That's just the front page. That shows me many people care.
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Comment #12 posted by kanabys on November 06, 2002 at 13:03:52 PT

Thank You FoM
I appreciate the info. It really scared me when schmeff said that. 
Oh, and BTW, we love you too :)
We'll get 'em next time!
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on November 06, 2002 at 13:01:09 PT

kanabys 
kapt is fine. He is working on a project and reads the news but is really busy. He'll be back posting soon. 
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Comment #10 posted by kanabys on November 06, 2002 at 12:58:31 PT

What happened to kaptinemo?
I've been absent quite a bit lately. What happened to the kaptin? I hope nothing bad. Give it to me gently....... he was really inspiring :)
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Comment #9 posted by schmeff on November 06, 2002 at 10:33:49 PT

Cheers!
I see a lot of dispair and disappointment from the shell-shocked posters this morning, and perhaps rightly so. I remember two years ago when the Bush/Hutchison/Walters/Ashcroft cabal came to power, Kaptinemo reminded us that things ARE darkest before the dawn, and that the prohibs were sure to become even more heavy-handed as their empire started to crumble. I miss the Kaptain's insightful posts and flights of metaphor. (How high does stink this horse corpse that is prohibition?)I am not the Kap'n, but I would like to share a little metaphor of my own:On the MSNBC web page this morning, the headline blares: "GOP win seen as Bush 'referendum'". The article is pretty much what you'd expect from the korporate media, but if you can stomach the usual tripe, and work your way to literally the last paragraph of the article, you will find this:"As for voter turnout, Curtis Gans, director of the independent Committee for the Study of the American Electorate, estimated it at 77 million, more than 39 percent of voting-age citizens. In the 1998 elections, the figure was 37.6 percent — the lowest midterm turnout since 1942."Put another way, 61% of the eligible voters didn't show.So here's my metaphor: If two football teams face each other at the Super Bowl, but only 39% of the players show up on the field, how much high-fivin', how much celebratory Gatorade will be spilled, after one team or the other 'wins' the game? How much pride will this 'victory' generate?I tend to think that the 39% of Americans who voted yesterday represent the last bastion of the status-quo. The MAJORITY, who perhaps do not support the status-quo, who perhaps realize the game is rigged, simply opted not to participate. I have commented on these pages before that sometimes the system becomes so corrupt that it is no longer possible to correct the system from within the system. Perhaps the 61% majority also realizes this at some level.But back to the MSNBC article: Four out of ten people support the GOP, and the Shrub has himself a 'referendum'.So I say to my fellow disappointed Cannabists, "Take heart." We're still here. We will live to fight another day.39% of Nevada voters support the end of MJ prohibition. If four out of ten people support the recreational use of cannabis for responsible adults, we have ourselves a 'referendum'. WE HAVE OURSELVES A FUCKING MANDATE!Cheers!

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Comment #8 posted by FoM on November 06, 2002 at 10:32:35 PT

I Love All of You
I wanted to take a minute from looking for news to say that. We are a passionate group of people. I'll take passion before about any emotion.
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Comment #7 posted by null on November 06, 2002 at 10:27:45 PT

actually the odds are better
Self correction: If the prohibitionists have 61% of the vote we only need to knock em down to 49%. That means a 12% point difference. Which means if only one of us out of three is successful in changing the mind of a prohibitionist voter WE WIN. Think of the odds being 3:1 that in our favor that we win in the end. ;)
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Comment #6 posted by null on November 06, 2002 at 10:21:41 PT

conversion
think about the percentages: 61% against and 39% for. Basically 3 to 2. So if every pair of us just changes ONE PERSON'S mind, we will win! Call it marijuana missionary work... keep the cannabis faith alive.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on November 06, 2002 at 09:38:01 PT

knox42897 
Exactly! That's the way to think. There's an old saying. It ain't over until the fat lady sings. She hasn't sung yet!
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Comment #4 posted by knox42897 on November 06, 2002 at 09:33:58 PT:

DEFEATED
I really thought we would win. I'm not going to say the fix was in but we will look at the results to see what happended. Basically more no voters came to the polls than yes votes. What really disappoints me is we had enough yes votes to win if only they would of voted. We will fight another day, as I will never give up.
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Comment #3 posted by mrherbalwarrior on November 06, 2002 at 09:01:20 PT:

yea.... this sucks
This does suck, we lost the majority of pro-marijuana issues on the ballots yesterday, but hey, we just gotta remeber, complete and total legalization was on the ballot in one state, and thats a big step. nobody ever said this was gonna be an easy war, or a short one. But the tide is turning in our favor and soon enough our voices will be heard, now is the time to start gathering signatures so decriminalization can be on next years ballot in your state. keep fighting, and never let the man get you down.
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Comment #2 posted by pokesmotter on November 06, 2002 at 08:59:41 PT:

my thoughts
i think i knew it wouldnt pass. look at this though: "We are elated," said Sandy Heverly, one of the leaders of the Coalition Against Legalized Marijuana. "I think the message we have sent to these people is never underestimate the power of good people who have a lot of passion." i believe the proponents of question 9 were also good people with a lot of passion. the problem is there weren't enough of them...yet.
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Comment #1 posted by kanabys on November 06, 2002 at 08:51:12 PT

Rogers is right
>>Although the drug is illegal, Rogers said, many people will continue to use it and they should not be considered criminals.They have stopped nothing by defeating this initiative. Life will go on the same as it has. People will continue to use cannabis they same or more than they always have.
The anti-cannabis idiots have to realize that their dam will break in the near future. If they don't they are more stupid than I thought.
It's just a matter of time, you antis! It's not over by a long shot. :)
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