Pubdate: Fri, 03 Dec 2004
Source: Contra Costa Times (CA)
Copyright: 2004 Knight Ridder
Contact:  http://www.contracostatimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/96
Author: Eric Kurhi
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/props.htm (Ballot Initiatives)

BERKELEY'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA MEASURE GOES UP IN SMOKE

Although it came within tenths of a percentage point of winning, a slow 
creep of support for Berkeley's latest medical marijuana initiative wasn't 
enough for it to pass.

Measure R would have given the city the most lax marijuana laws in the 
nation by eliminating limits on the number of marijuana plants a patient 
can grow -- currently capped at 10 -- and authorizing medical marijuana 
collectives to police themselves through a peer review group process.

It also would have given new medical marijuana dispensaries the right to 
open without first having a public hearing.

Immediately following the election, it appeared as though Measure R had won 
48.8 percent of the vote. As the provisional votes were slowly counted, the 
pro-R tally climbed higher. Provisional votes are those cast at a location 
other than the resident's designated polling place.

Final results released Tuesday by the Registrar of Voters show that voters 
rejected R by a margin of 191 votes - 25,167 to 24,976.

Elaine Ginnold, assistant registrar of voters for Alameda County, said such 
post-election changes happen regularly.

"It's not uncommon," she said. "It's just one of those election things."