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." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens