Pubdate: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 Source: Ann Arbor News (MI) Copyright: 2000 Michigan Live Inc. Feedback: http://aa.mlive.com/about/toeditor.html Website: http://aa.mlive.com/ Forum: http://aa.mlive.com/forums/ Author: David Wahlberg, News Staff Reporter CITY VOTE SOUGHT ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA Libertarians Circulate Petitions Aimed At Ann Arbor's Fall Ballot Libertarians are circulating a petition to get a medical marijuana initiative on the November ballot in the city of Ann Arbor. If passed, the measure would prevent Ann Arbor Police from citing people who use marijuana for medical reasons. But state and federal officials could still enforce their laws. "We're for the legalization of all drugs, so we thought we'd do this as a first step," said James Tudler, chairman of the Libertarian Party of Washtenaw County. "Also, Ann Arbor is kind of famous for its pot law." In 1974, Ann Arbor voters amended the city charter to create one of the country's most liberal laws for marijuana possession. It set the fine at only $5. That was increased in 1990 to $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense and at least $100 for further offenses. The medical marijuana initiative would do away with those fines for people with medical conditions such as AIDS and cancer, for which smoking pot brings some patients pain relief. Because marijuana use is illegal in Michigan and the United States, the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department, the University of Michigan Department of Public Safety, the Michigan State Police and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency could still enforce their laws. State law, for example, requires a $100 fine and up to 90 days in jail. "We would write them up anyhow," said state police spokesman Dave Verhougstraete. The Libertarians need to turn in 4,300 signatures by August to get their initiative on the city ballot. They have collected 2,000 since last August, Hudler said. A majority of Ann Arbor voters would have to approve the measure. Five states - Alaska, California, Maine, Oregon and Washington - have legalized medical marijuana. That prevents local and state police from making arrests, but federal authorities can still do so. Saginaw attorney Gregory Schmid has launched a petition drive for a statewide initiative in Michigan to legalize marijuana among adults for any purpose. Known as the Personal Responsibility Amendment, the measure would allow adults to grow up to three marijuana plants at home out of the sight of minors and keep three ounces for personal use. It also would allow medical marijuana for adults and children. Schmid needs to gather more than 300,000 signatures to put the issue on the November ballot. The only place where cities have enacted medical marijuana laws prior to states is California, said Chuck Thomas, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, a medical marijuana advocacy group in Washington, D.C. Voter initiatives passed in San Francisco in 1991 and Santa Cruz in 1992, Thomas said. The statewide initiative passed in 1996. Michigan state Sen. Mike Rogers, a strong opponent of Ann Arbor's low marijuana fines, also is against the medical marijuana initiative. "They're trying to get marijuana on the ballot, and we're trying to tell our kids that smoking is bad for them," Rogers said. "It doesn't make any sense." Rogers, a Brighton Republican, said patients who want medical marijuana should ask doctors to prescribe a pill containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. Medical marijuana advocates say the pill isn't as effective. A bill Rogers sponsored in 1998 to penalize cities with pot laws that are more relaxed than the state's passed the Senate but failed in the House, which was then controlled by Democrats. A similar bill introduced last year by Sen. Beverly Hammerstrom, R-Temperance, has passed the Senate and awaits action in the House, which now has a Republican majority. The use of marijuana to ease the symptoms of some diseases has gained credibility from doctors in recent years. Stanley Watson, a University of Michigan professor of psychiatry and neurosciences, was a principal investigator of a National Academy of Sciences study last year that said medical marijuana has enough potential to merit more research. Watson said marijuana doesn't appear to be effective for conditions such as glaucoma, but it may help people with AIDS and cancer. He recommends inhalers that would release THC without producing smoke that increases the risk of lung cancer. "I suspect we'll find a couple of places where (synthesized marijuana) will fit in," Watson said. "But I am uncomfortable with people smoking it, because it produces health problems." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Staff reporter David Wahlberg can be reached by phone at (734) 994-6827 or by e-mail: - --- MAP posted-by: manemez j lovitto