cannabisnews.com: Michigan Lawyer Wants Voters to Decide On MJ





Michigan Lawyer Wants Voters to Decide On MJ
Posted by FoM on January 13, 2000 at 22:55:43 PT
By Kevin Caufield, The State News Michigan State U
Source: U-WIRE
Carl Schmid doesn't see what's wrong with enjoying marijuana. He says the drug has medical benefits and -- unlike alcohol, which is legal -- won't cause people to lose control of their cars and kill anyone. And he says in a free country, people should be able to make decisions for themselves. 
"It's not about marijuana," the Saginaw lawyer said. "It's a freedom issue." Schmid wants to give Michigan voters the chance to vote to legalize marijuana use. He wants to put the ballot question before voters in November. In order to accomplish his goal and get the question on the ballot, he needs to collect 302,711 signatures. Schmid said he has 1,000 volunteers ready to hit the streets Friday and get the signatures. If the question goes to Michigan residents in November, a majority of voters would have to approve it before it became law. Schmid, who helped design the 1992 initiative that created term limits for state legislators, is also pushing an initiative this year to make the Legislature part-time, meeting only from January to April. The marijuana proposal reads, in part, "Marijuana prohibition and forfeiture laws tend to corrupt government and erode respect for the rule of law and individual free will. "Freedom of conscience includes the personal responsibility to exercise self-restraint and to assume the risk of any harmful and debilitating personal consequences that could result from the abuse of marijuana, alcohol or tobacco." Under Schmid's proposed "Personal Responsibility Amendment," anyone 21 or older could grow and smoke marijuana legally at home. Users could own up to three mature plants, seedlings and up to 3 ounces of dried marijuana. The proposal also would allow medical marijuana use for anyone younger than 21 with a debilitating medical condition after consultation with a physician. Minors would need the consent of a custodial parent or guardian. A handful of states have legalized marijuana use with ballot initiatives. The medical use of marijuana is legal in Alaska, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. But the initiative has little chance of winning in Michigan because the state's political environment differs from that on the West Coast, said Michigan State University political science Professor Carol Weissert. "Michigan is very liberal in some aspects, but I don't think they're known for policies like this one," she said. "People in Michigan like to be policy leaders, but not in these areas." Weissert also said the federal Food and Drug Administration has hampered the medical use of marijuana in states that approved it. "It's been an ongoing battle in those states," she said. "The doctors don't like it because the FDA doesn't like it, so I think the same thing will happen in Michigan." Robert Power, a visiting Detroit College of Law at MSU professor of constitutional and criminal law, said if the initiative were to pass, marijuana users would still violate federal law and could face arrest by federal agents. But he said only about 10,000 of the 700,000 marijuana arrests made nationwide each year are by federal agents. "Realistically, there aren't enough (federal agents) to enforce it because they're busy with the big-time dealers," he said. The proposal would ban the use and possession of marijuana while operating a vehicle or machine, while a person is on parole, on probation or incarcerated or for any commercial activity. Dennis Martell, an Olin Health Center health educator, said while studies of the short-term effects of marijuana use are inconclusive, long-term use does cause throat and neck cancer. However, marijuana does alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy. Criminal justice senior Kevin Flathau said he supports the effort to place the amendment on the ballot. "People should have the choice to vote on legalizing marijuana because we all have varied opinions about this issue," he said. "That's what makes this country unique -- we all have the chance to express our opinions." The Associated Press contributed to this report. (U-WIRE) EAST LANSING, Mich.January 13, 2000(C) 2000 The State News via U-WIRE Copyright © 1995-2000 Excite Inc. Related Articles & Web Sites:Ballot 2000http://www.ballot2000.net/Marijuana Policy Project http://www.mpp.org The Rainbow Farmhttp://www.rainbowfarmcampground.com/index2.htmlPRA2000 Signature Campaign Kick-Off Rally-Concert - 1/12/2000http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4269.shtmlActivists Promote Legalized Marijuana - 12/26/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread4096.shtml
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