cannabisnews.com: Pot Fans Spotty Pot Fans Spotty Posted by FoM on November 09, 2000 at 06:45:00 PT By S.J. Komarnitsky, Daily News Reporter Source: Anchorage Daily News An initiative to legalize marijuana and industrial hemp may have been voted down statewide Tuesday, but it passed in the state capital, and in Girdwood and Talkeetna, as well as in a handful of Anchorage neighborhoods. These bastions, or outposts, of liberal thinking did not include most of the Mat-Su, where pot farms have become nearly synonymous with agriculture. Just because Mountain View and Fairview approved the marijuana initiative, Proposition 5, does not mean they are populated by pot smokers, said Allen Kemplen, a former state representative for Fairview. Rather, he said, it shows a belief in the right to privacy. "There's a strong sense among these Alaskans that what someone does in the privacy of their own homes is their business," he said. Larry Persily, former editor of the Juneau Empire and longtime Juneau resident, said Juneau voters are known for their liberal leanings so the vote didn't surprise him. Still, he said, "It's a little weird when you think people in downtown Juneau don't even have a yard to grow pot even if they wanted to. It's very old tightly packed homes." No so for Talkeetna, where land and support for marijuana are both plentiful. The pot measure there passed by nearly 2-to-1. Alaska State Trooper Sgt. Dallas Massie, who patrols Talkeetna, explained the vote this way: "Different lifestyles." Talkeetna was among several communities in House District 28 that voted to OK the use of industrial hemp and make it legal for people over 18 to smoke pot in private. Others included Houston, Meadow Lakes and Trapper Creek. But the measure still failed in Mat-Su, despite this being home to the most well-known brand name of Alaska-grown pot. "I think it's a small percentage of people growing," said Rep. Scott Ogan of Palmer. In Girdwood, the measure passed overwhelmingly -- 599 to 253. Other pockets of support included Sitka and Gustavus in Southeast, Fritz Creek in the Homer area and Moose Pass on the Kenai Peninsula. In addition to Fairview and Mountain View, the proposition passed in a sprinkling of other Anchorage neighborhoods: in Spenard, Midtown and Downtown. Elmendorf Air Force Base voters apparently thought little of the initiative. In one precinct, 80 percent of the 1,259 votes cast were No votes, compared to 60 percent statewide. An exit poll of nearly 800 residents conducted for CNN by Voter News Service shed some light on who voted which way. It found that younger, less-affluent Alaskans and those who identified themselves as liberal were more likely to vote for the measure while older, Protestant Republicans were more likely to vote against it. "The conservatives beaned us bad," said Jolene Brown, a volunteer with Hemp 2000. Reporter S.J. Komarnitsky can be reached at: skomarnitsky adn.com Source: Anchorage Daily News (AK)Author: S.J. KomarnitskyPublished: November 9, 2000Copyright: 2000 The Anchorage Daily News Contact: letters adn.com Website: http://www.adn.com/ Free Hemp in Alaskahttp://www.freehempinak.orgHemp 2000http://www.hemp2000.org Voters Dump Pot Proposition 2-to-1http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7603.shtmlAlaskans Can End Wrong, Ineffective Marijuana Banhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7476.shtmlHemp At The Root of Radio Ad Battlehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7467.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: