cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Proposition Worries Law Enforcement





Marijuana Proposition Worries Law Enforcement
Posted by CN Staff on April 01, 2003 at 13:46:54 PT
By The Associated Press
Source: News Tribune 
Columbia, Mo. -- Voters in this college town will decide April 8 whether to soften municipal marijuana penalties and allow medicinal use of pot inside the city limits even though possession is illegal under Missouri law.Supporters of Proposition 1 have set up a campaign fund-raising committee, organized benefit concerts and solicited thousands of dollars from national organizations advocating changes in drug laws.
One advocacy group, the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, said Monday that it has committed $10,000 to boost the Columbia campaign and would consider sending more money. The local campaign committee's spokeswoman said another national group, the New York-based Drug Policy Alliance, has pledged several thousand dollars.Opponents have no campaign committee -- no formal organization at all, in fact -- and have mostly been given a voice by local law enforcement officials, who issued a single press release calling for Proposition 1's defeat.The organization, energy and funding of the proposal's backers are cause for worry to Columbia Police Chief Randy Boehm, who frets that lack of widespread awareness could result in low turnout by prospective opponents and lead to passage of Proposition 1."It's hard to get a reading about whether the community is even very aware of this proposal, and of course in campaigns, money makes a difference, so I have a real concern," the chief said in an interview.Medical marijuana use is legal in nine states. It's not legal in Missouri, and there are legal questions about whether a city ordinance, even if voter-approved, can be less stringent than state law. The proposition would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana for patients with "serious" illnesses.Columbia's Proposition 1 is an unusual hybrid, coupling legality for medical marijuana with a mandate that marijuana possession arrests for possessing 35 grams or less be sent to municipal rather than state court.The sentencing language would mean that misdemeanor marijuana convictions would be punishable only by fines -- starting at $25 for a first offense, topping out at $500 for fourth and subsequent offenses -- and would not become part of a person's state criminal record.Backers note that college students are required to state on federal student loan paperwork whether they have been convicted of certain crimes; an honest answer about a state court drug conviction could cost them tuition aid, said Anthony Johnson, a University of Missouri-Columbia law student who came up with the idea for Proposition 1."The question is why you want to brand someone a criminal for life because of possessing a small quantity of marijuana when they are 18 or 19 years old," Johnson said in a recent interview. Supporters call the measure the "smart sentencing initiative."Boone County Prosecutor Kevin Crane recently joined the police chief in publicly declaring that Proposition 1 would take away the discretion of law enforcement. Crane said a person with a serious criminal record who is arrested for possession of marijuana could be handled no differently from a first offender."We need this latitude to make appropriate decisions about how to proceed with the cases," Boehm said.Boehm, Crane and other opponents hope to get a boost this week from a visit by a representative of the White House office of drug policy. The federal government has refused to recognize state-level approval of medical marijuana.Amy Fritz, spokeswoman for the supporters' campaign committee, the Columbia Alliance for Patient Education, said Monday that it's not appropriate for the White House to try to influence local voters.She also said that if the Bush administration is weighing in, backed by the resources of the federal government, it's the supporters of Proposition 1 who are outgunned.So campaign funding from out-of-state sources "becomes even more important to help us," she said.Spokesman Bruce Mirken said the Marijuana Policy Project is "the largest national organization working to reform marijuana laws," with about 11,000 members nationwide. It has 159 Missouri members and nine members in Columbia, he said."We would like to see marijuana brought in off the street and regulated like we do other drugs such as alcohol," Mirken said.Complete Title: Columbia Marijuana Proposition Worries Law Enforcement On the Net:Marijuana Policy Project: http://www.mpp.orgSource: Jefferson City News Tribune (MO)Published: Tuesday, April 01, 2003Copyright: 2003 Jefferson City News TribuneContact: editor newstribune.comWebsite: http://www.newstribune.com/Related Articles:White House Weighs in on Pot Issue http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15835.shtmlPoll Encourages Marijuana Law Supportershttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15822.shtmlPolice Adjust Pot Policy Before Election http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15795.shtmlSentencing Initiative Step Forward on Pot Policy http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15780.shtml 
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Comment #2 posted by freedom fighter on April 02, 2003 at 00:01:30 PT
Yes!
"Boone County Prosecutor Kevin Crane recently joined the police chief in publicly declaring that Proposition 1 would take away the discretion of law enforcement. Crane said a person with a serious criminal record who is arrested for possession of marijuana could be handled no differently from a first offender."In other word, I would rather Prosecutor Kevin Crane with this police chief chase a person with serious criminal record (grew a plant) who is arrested for possession of maaaaaaarrrrj ahh(cannabis) could be handled so so very differently(like a witch).I rather Crane and his cronies take care of potsmokers while terrorists drive by their town..I am just another witchhunter and I am gonna come down hard on you!!!!!!PAZff
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Comment #1 posted by afterburner on April 01, 2003 at 16:20:58 PT:
"serious"? Well, Excuse Me.
Multiple Sclerosis? Not "serious"? Cancer? Not "serious"? HIV/AIDS? Not "serious"? Spinal damage? Not "serious"? 
Arthritis? Not "serious"? Epilepsy? Not "serious"? Why is there a need for quotes? ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question.
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