Pubdate: Wed, 07 Nov 2012
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR)
Copyright: 2012 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.
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Author: Gavin Lesnick

CLOSE MARIJUANA VOTE A SURPRISE, FOE SAYS

LITTLE ROCK - The president of the group that rallied to oppose an act
that would have allowed the sale and use of medical marijuana for
patients with certain conditions said Wednesday that he was surprised
by the closeness of the race.

Proponents, meanwhile, said they are already turning their attention
toward new efforts for legalizing medical use of the drug.

The state voted down the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act, with 51
percent opposing and 49 percent supporting, in a race that wasn't
called until early Wednesday morning.

Jerry Cox, president of the Family Council, said he expected a race
closer to 54-46. He said the tight race will result in even more
opposition should the issue be addressed in the state Legislature or
through another ballot measure in two years.

He said a number of medical and law enforcement groups that came out
against the act didn't expect it would make the ballot, so they had
minimal time to plan an opposition campaign.

"I think they'll be much more aware next time," Cox
said.

Melissa Fults, treasurer for Arkansans for Compassionate Care, said
her group will first pursue the issue through the state Legislature.
If that fails, she said, it will again go through a petition campaign
to get it on the ballot in two years.

"Needless to say, we're disappointed," Fults said by phone Wednesday
morning. "But we were so close. We did more than anybody ever believed
we'd do. And we'll start right back."

Fults said she believes the closeness of the race could spur
legislators to take up the issue even though previous attempts haven't
worked. Cox said he doubts the General Assembly would consider a law
legalizing medical marijuana.

If it comes to another petition drive, the language in the act will
likely change, Fults said. In particular, change is likely to the
portion of the act that called for patients living more than 5 miles
from a marijuana dispensary to grow their own small plot of plants.

Fults said the changes will need to be discussed in detail within the
organization and with its attorney, adding there may still be some
personal grow allowance.

"We'll make some language changes," she said. "There were some things
that scared people. The 5-mile rule we'll have to deal with. That
probably was the only thing that hurt us."
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MAP posted-by: Matt