cannabisnews.com: Effort To Legalize Marijuana Renewed





Effort To Legalize Marijuana Renewed
Posted by CN Staff on February 18, 2004 at 17:35:07 PT
By Kirsten Searer, Las Vegas Sun 
Source: Las Vegas Sun 
Advocates are kicking off a campaign today to again try to legalize marijuana in Nevada. The Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana announced it would file an initiative with the secretary of state's office today and start gathering signatures.The group's new initiative would allow people 21 and older to legally possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana for recreational use. It would make Nevada the first state to do so.
The petition needs the signatures of 51,244 registered voters by June 15 to qualify for the November ballot. The committee needs to gather signatures from 10 percent of the voters in 13 of the state's 17 counties to qualify.Proponents are hopeful that they will be able to get the initiative on the ballot. The last group to sponsor the effort, Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, gathered 110,000 signatures in 2002 to land the initiative on the ballot.The initiative would then go to the voters and needs to pass in two general elections before it would be amended to the Nevada Constitution.A similar initiative, which would have allowed possession of up to 3 ounces, was rejected soundly by Nevada voters in 2002."This is a totally different initiative," committee spokeswoman Jennifer Knight said. "It has a totally different team. We have addressed concerns of voters that were voiced in the 2002 campaign."The committee, which is supported by the Marijuana Policy Project, has changed the amount of marijuana that would be legal and is suggesting an increase in the penalty for driving under the influence.Still, some in the law enforcement community were quick to react, saying they're opposed to any version of a measure that would legalize marijuana."The last thing we need to be doing as a society, especially in Nevada, is to tell our youth that it's OK to use drugs," said Capt. Stavros Anthony, head of Metro Police's vice narcotics bureau."There is no valid reason for using marijuana except to get high," Anthony said. "And there have been studies that have shown marijuana can potentially be a gateway drug to other narcotics."Knight and other advocates argue that the measure actually would cut drug use among teens by regulating the drug and argue that would cut the number of black-market drug dealers.She pointed to a 2001 study cited by the White House Office of National Drug Control that found that more than 67 percent of Nevada's high school seniors say they have tried marijuana at least once in their lifetimes.A separate study in the Netherlands, where some marijuana use is legal, found that 28 percent of Dutch teens had tried marijuana.The Marijuana Policy Project has been touting those numbers in an ad campaign launched in November. The ads still play frequently in the Las Vegas market.The group donated the funds toward the new Nevada initiative partly because Nevadans have responded positively to the ads, said Bruce Mirken, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project."We thought it was worth giving it a try and we absolutely believe that this is a better proposal," Mirken said."The basic outline of what we're trying to do is right not just for Nevada but for America. It simply makes sense to regulate marijuana and bring it off the streets so society has some control," he said. "Our current laws guarantee we have no control."Under the initiative only licensed tobacco shops would be allowed to sell the drug to adults, Knight said.The initiative would increase penalties for people who sell marijuana to minors. First-time offenders could receive up to 10 years in prison and second-time offenders could be sentenced to life."Extremely evil people are getting extremely rich," Knight said of illegal drug dealers. "This is just another element that needs to be stopped."Knight said she voted against the last initiative, partly because she felt it didn't send a message to marijuana users that they couldn't use the drug and drive.The new initiative would beef up the penalties for driving under the influence. And people convicted of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence could face up to life in prison, compared with the maximum 20 years in jail now imposed."Anyone who even thinks about getting behind the wheel should think twice if they know they're going to face a life sentence," Knight said.No matter what punishments the initiative would levy, it still would send the wrong message to children that marijuana use is legitimate, Anthony said. District Attorney David Roger also said he is opposed to the legalization movement."We participated in the effort to defeat the measure last time and we will continue with our efforts to stop the further legalization of marijuana," Roger said.The initiative on the 2002 ballot garnered only 39 percent of the vote.The committee is kicking off its campaign using a $150,000 contribution from the Marijuana Policy Project, the nation's largest organization that seeks to reform marijuana laws. The group has 14,000 members, including 300 in Nevada.Some people involved in the last drive will continue their support. Andy Anderson, a retired 29-year police officer and former president of the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs, will be the campaign manager. Billy Rogers, who led the last campaign on behalf of the Marijuana Policy Project, will serve as a consultant.Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, who spoke in favor of the last initiative, said she's glad it will be introduced with tougher restrictions on how much marijuana a person can legally have."I'd rather get to the people who are dealing it, and if government has restrictions and regulations in this area, then you will actually be putting more of the dope dealers out of business and take it out of the hands of kids," Giunchigliani said.With regulation, she said, "we have a much better chance of overturning this war on drugs and making it something that is meaningful rather than a war on rhetoric."Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV)Author: Kirsten Searer, Las Vegas Sun Published: February 18, 2004Copyright: 2004 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/Legal Marijuana Campaign Restartshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18355.shtmlLosing Initiative Groups Ponder The Futurehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14797.shtmlDrug Reformers are Regrouping http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14769.shtml
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Comment #18 posted by Virgil on February 19, 2004 at 12:17:02 PT
Pokesmotter
The statement that MiraclePlant is not harmless is introducing a straw man into the argument. Nobody says MiraclePlant is harmless and that is not even the issue. It is the guviment that continually says it is dangerous and harmful. They should be called on to defend their lies.As far as the health aspects cannabis is all but benign and its real danger comes from the black market prices and interface and the laws. So do not argue with the straw man. Let the prohibitionist say what they will and then ask how will it be different when prohibition ends. Well, the laws will not hurt people in the pursuit of happiness that are within their unalienable rights. They will not have black market prices and interface. They will not be cast as outcast. They will have hash and hash oils and high grade stuff that would reduce smoking if someone still chose that as a means of delivery.Barfwell is a criminal in my book engaged in fraud and treason. Let her argue that.
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Comment #17 posted by pokesmotter on February 19, 2004 at 11:14:25 PT:
thought
i forgot where i heard this:while smoking marijuana is not harmless, it is not altogether that harmful.
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Comment #16 posted by Max Flowers on February 19, 2004 at 10:31:57 PT
pokesmotter
pokesmotter said:
with this bill should be a campaign to say its not healthy to use weed, (like alcohol or cigarrettes) but if you do be responsible and be 21 or older..The problem with that is that in many cases, medical cases, it *is* healthy to smoke (or vape or eat) weed. As someone who does not use alcohol or tobacco, but has seen both kill many people, I find any willingness to lump cannabis in with those dangerous killers kind of disturbing. You raise a good point about the caught selling to minors thing. It is absurd that anyone supports this kind of incarceration when alcohol and tobacco are far more damaging and the penalty for selling those to a minor I'll bet my left you-know-what are pretty light. 
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on February 19, 2004 at 08:58:56 PT
News Brief from The Las Vegas Review Journal
AGAINST LEGALIZATION Anti-marijuana group to meet Feb. 25 Nevadans Against Legalizing Marijuana will hold its first meeting Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. at United Way, 1660 E. Flamingo Ave. The group is a coalition of law enforcement and citizen activists opposed to an initiative petition seeking to legalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana.
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on February 19, 2004 at 08:56:08 PT
Political Cartoon from Las Vegas Review Journal
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Feb-19-Thu-2004/photos/opinion1.gif
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Comment #13 posted by pokesmotter on February 18, 2004 at 23:29:47 PT:
compromise
this bill, while with good intentions is a huge compromise:"The initiative would increase penalties for people who sell marijuana to minors. First-time offenders could receive up to 10 years in prison and second-time offenders could be sentenced to life."life in prison for selling weed??  come on...do they give 10 yrs to people caught selling alcohol to minors??with this bill should be a campaign to say its not healthy to use weed, (like alcohol or cigarrettes) but if you do be responsible and be 21 or older..
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Comment #12 posted by E_Johnson on February 18, 2004 at 23:13:45 PT
Gosh this could pass
It could.
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on February 18, 2004 at 20:53:59 PT
New Web Site from MPP
http://www.regulatemarijuana.org/
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on February 18, 2004 at 19:43:06 PT
sukoi
I really like say good things about what I see on TV but he just looked really low. 
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Comment #9 posted by sukoi on February 18, 2004 at 19:12:16 PT
Bummer
again, but thank you for the info. FoM!
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on February 18, 2004 at 19:08:36 PT
sukoi
There wasn't any details to go into. John Stossel looks like a beaten man. It was more about how the left and others have turned on him when he started talking about the government. I haven't seen his show in a long time so I'm not sure what it was about. He talked about drugs and legalization but he didn't have his heart in defending how he felt. He looked really down to me.
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Comment #7 posted by sukoi on February 18, 2004 at 19:02:17 PT
Bummer!
I'll not ask you to go into detail, but what was the gist?
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on February 18, 2004 at 18:58:17 PT
sukoi 
I wish I could say yes but I must say no.
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Comment #5 posted by sukoi on February 18, 2004 at 18:51:14 PT
I missed it!
I had an important phone call and missed it, anything good?
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on February 18, 2004 at 18:46:58 PT
Thanks sukoi 
We turned on Fox after I saw your comment and hear John Stossel.
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Comment #3 posted by mayan on February 18, 2004 at 18:23:53 PT
80% Disagree
"There is no valid reason for using marijuana except to get high," Anthony said. "And there have been studies that have shown marijuana can potentially be a gateway drug to other narcotics."80% of American's disagree with Anthony's statement regarding "valid" reasons for using cannabis. The ignorance of our opponents is appalling. Even if the only reason to use cannabis was to "get high", does that justify caging people?The way out is the way in...9/11 Family Steering Committee: Questions for Bush:
http://www.911citizenswatch.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=61&mode=thread&order=0&thold=09/11 Prior Knowledge/Government Involvement Archive
http://www.propagandamatrix.com/archiveprior_knowledge
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Comment #2 posted by sukoi on February 18, 2004 at 18:10:29 PT
FOX News
is supposed to be doing something on "Leagalizing "drugs" and prostitution right now on Direct TV ch 360!
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Comment #1 posted by OverwhelmSam on February 18, 2004 at 17:45:31 PT:
The Hypocracy Is So Obvious
I find it interesting that police are okay with the people's right to get drunk, but don't want the people to have the legal right to get high. If the law passes, they'll get used to it.
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