Pubdate: Thu, 08 Aug 2002
Source: Reno Gazette-Journal (NV)
Copyright: 2002 Reno Gazette-Journal
Contact:  http://www.rgj.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/363
Author: Ray Hagar
Note: It is hard to believe that this reporter went to the same meeting as 
the Nevada Appeal reporter who's report is at 
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02.n1477.a06.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?162 (Nevadans for Responsible Law 
Enforcement)

SHERIFF CANDIDATES SAY DRUGS ARE MAJOR PROBLEM

The five candidates for Carson City sheriff said Thursday that illegal 
drugs are one of the biggest problems facing the capital city at a 
candidate forum at the Carson City Community Center.

Each candidate opposed the ballot initiative to legalize adult possession 
of 3 ounces or less of marijuana. Their views disagreed with the Las 
Vegas-based Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs, which Tuesday 
supported the initiative because police should be working on more serious 
crimes.

In Carson City, however, marijuana and methamphetamine are two of the most 
prevalent illegal drugs sold, the sheriff candidates said.

"This (ballot initiative) would be nothing more than putting blinders on, 
saying we can't do anything about it, so lets legalize it," said candidate 
Scott Burau, 48, chief deputy in the sheriff's office. "The next step would 
be why not? Anything goes."

Wayne Fazzino, an investigator for the attorney general, said he is wary of 
people who are behind the marijuana initiative.

"Take a look sometimes at the people who are pushing these propositions," 
said Fazzino, 49. "Its not the fine, upstanding citizens; it is the dopers 
and the dope heads, and I've watched this happening for some time now."

Deputy Bob Guimont said if the ballot initiative became law, it would 
induce more students at Carson High to use marijuana.

"We've got kids 15 and 14 drinking beer, and if the kids in the high school 
are saying the toughest thing to get is beer, they are definitely going to 
be able to get marijuana," said Guimont, 35. "I've dealt with a lot of 
children who have attempted to commit suicide in the past and it is all 
based on depression. Nobody understands that marijuana is a central nervous 
system depressant."

Sheriff's detective Richard Mendoza, 52, took Guimont's point even further. 
He said he was not "100 percent in favor" of current Nevada laws legalizing 
medical marijuana use "if there were another prescription drug that would 
have the same effect."

Mendoza disagreed, however, that beer is more accessible to teenagers than 
marijuana.

"Marijuana can be grown in your back yard and beer can't," Mendoza said.

The forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Carson City and the 
Nevada Appeal, attracted more than 100 people to the Sierra Room of the 
community center.

"It is very important that everyone in this room and everyone in this city 
understand what types of pressure from the outside are being applied on us 
to legalize small amounts of marijuana," said candidate Ken Furlong, 47, a 
major crime investigator with the Nevada Division of Investigation.

"We understand that we have gone through the medical process and now we are 
under the very short three-ounce process. It shouldn't take a genius to 
figure out that the next step is full legalization. I do not support ideas 
that are intended to sway my opinion in a step process. I'd rather vote 
straight-up, 'no.'"

Mendoza and Furlong stressed that children in Carson City schools should be 
educated early to the dangers of all illegal drugs.

"We have to educate our children on using better positive alternatives in 
their decision making capabilities when they are confronted by this through 
their peer groups." Furlong said.

Guimont said the key drug problem in Carson City is not marijuana but 
methamphetamine. He and other candidates agreed that about 85 percent of 
the street crimes in Carson City are tied to illegal drug use.

"They (drug dealers) are tossing it (methamphetamine) out to everybody in 
your neighborhood, hoping getting you hooked," Guimont said. "And once you 
are hooked, you will spend every penny you have to buy more dope. When you 
run out of stuff, you will take your family's property. And when you are 
done with your family's property, you are going to go to your nice neighbor 
next door."

Mendoza said the illegal drugs make their way into Carson City in different 
ways.

"We have a lot of drugs coming up from the (Mexican) border." Mendoza said. 
"We have a lot of drugs that are manufactured right here in town. We have 
drugs that are being sold in the school. We recently had several teen-agers 
arrested in the school for dealing in drugs. We need to cut this snake's 
head off."

Burau agreed drug users must be stopped.

"Narcotics is going to continue to be a problem, not only in Carson City 
but nationwide, as long as there is a market and somebody is willing to pay 
the price," Burau said. "Is Carson City any more unique than any other 
city? No. Does Carson City have a drug problem? Yes. But so does Los 
Angeles, so does Fernley and so does Elko."
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake