Pubdate: Wed, 30 Oct 2002
Source: Arizona Republic (AZ)
Copyright: 2002 The Arizona Republic
Contact:  http://www.arizonarepublic.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Christina Leonard

LAW ENFORCERS ASSAIL POT EFFORT

Urge Arizona Voters To Reject Proposition 203

More than a dozen law enforcement organizations united against Arizona's 
latest marijuana ballot initiative Tuesday, saying well-financed 
advertisements supporting the measure have misled voters in an attempt to 
tug at their heartstrings.

"It has been marketed as medical marijuana proposition. This is not true," 
Phoenix Police Chief Harold Hurtt said. "It is the decriminalization of 
marijuana for everyone, to include those who would expose this drug to our 
children."

Leaders of the police organizations, which represent about 20,000 active 
and retired officers throughout the state, said they want voters to know 
the truth about Proposition 203.

The Nov. 5 ballot measure would require the Arizona Department of Public 
Safety to distribute the drug for free to those carrying a doctor's note. 
And it would decriminalize possession of small amounts of the drug.

Police and prosecutors say it would also lessen the sanctions for those who 
use dangerous drugs.

"This proposition has very little to do with medical marijuana and 
everything to do with the legalization of all illegal drugs," said Roger 
Nelson, chief criminal deputy with the Yuma County Attorney's Office. "For 
all practical purposes, Proposition 203 would legalize heroin, 
methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana."

However, backers of the proposition disagree, saying it would instead give 
judges greater flexibility by removing mandatory sentences for those drug 
crimes.

"There's no logic in them saying this lessens the punishment for drug 
offenses," said Dr. Jeffrey Singer, a Phoenix surgeon and proponent of the 
proposition. "They're just trying to scare people. They have a vested 
interest in locking people up. That's what they do for a living."

DPS Director Dennis Garrett also voiced concerns about his department, 
which is facing budget cuts, finding the funds to distribute the marijuana 
and test it to ensure it's safe. DPS would either hand out confiscated 
marijuana, buy it from a federal research program or allow users to grow up 
to two plants.

"It's just wrong," Garrett said. "There are three or four very, very 
wealthy individuals who are pushing this particular type of legislation 
change across the country . . . and I'm very concerned what they're trying 
to do here with their 30-second sound bites."

More than $1 million has been spent promoting the proposition. Supporters 
say the initiative has safeguards. Patients would be given a state-issued 
card that entitled them only to get as much as 2 ounces of marijuana a month.

Arizona voters approved a measure allowing marijuana with a doctor's 
prescription in 1996 and 1998, but lawmakers effectively rejected it by 
putting prescribing doctors at risk of losing their licenses.

"Please take the time to read (the initiative)," Phoenix police Cmdr. Joe 
Klima said. "This has a devastating effect on our community and our children."
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens