Pubdate: Sun, 17 Apr 2005 Source: Columbia Daily Tribune (MO) Copyright: 2005 Columbia Daily Tribune Contact: http://www.columbiatribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/91 Author: Chuck Adamson, of the Tribune's staff Note: Prints the street address of LTE writers. POT LAW RETURNS TO ARENA NORML student objects to repeal A University of Missouri-Columbia student who supports more lenient marijuana laws plans to speak to the Columbia City Council tomorrow in opposition to the Columbia Police Officers Association's efforts to repeal a voter-approved marijuana ordinance. The ordinance, one of two marijuana-related proposals voters approved last year, decriminalizes possession of small amounts of pot. It reduces the penalty to a fine without offenders getting a criminal record. Bailey Hirschburg, president of the University of Missouri-Columbia chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said he plans to tell council members to "clearly think about the issue." "I don't have a problem with" police "as citizens acting to change the law. That's what we did," Hirschburg said. "But I think they are judging far too quickly that this law is a failure. It's only been in place for six months." Hirschburg, 21, is an MU sophomore from Cape Girardeau. He said he smokes marijuana recreationally. "I do enjoy it from time from time," he said. "We're talking about use, not abuse. And even if you do abuse it, it's not as harmful as alcohol or cigarette abuse." Hirschburg said he plans to tell the council that he is afraid the Columbia Police Officers Association, or CPOA, is trying to disenfranchise college students by pushing for repeal on a summertime ballot. CPOA President Sterling Infield said Hirschburg need not worry because the police group won't make the deadline for the August ballot anyway. As for Hirschburg's planned comments to the council, Infield said, "It's his constitutional right." The CPOA has been gathering signatures to repeal the law. It is not trying to repeal a second law that decriminalizes marijuana use when prescribed for medicinal purposes. Infield said the association and its supporters are pressing toward their goal of 2,900 signatures. The CPOA has maintained that marijuana is a gateway drug and that the new law sends a message that it's OK to sell and smoke marijuana. Infield said one of the major arguments made for the new law's passage - - that a pot conviction can disqualify a college student from financial aid - is not supported by data. "We looked and researched. No one has ever lost student financial aid, ever, from a city drug conviction," Infield said. "I'm a little confused as to why they are pushing this issue." He said they discovered just four students locally who temporarily lost financial aid after a marijuana conviction in state court. A similar marijuana reform measure failed to win voter support in April 2003. The new law passed in November 2004 with 61 percent of the vote. Hirschburg said the current law, which imposes a $250 fine, is reasonable. "It's clearly what the city wants," he said. "We think they are completely reasonable laws. I couldn't afford one $250 fine." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek