Pubdate: Wed, 11 Dec 2013
Source: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Little Rock, AR)
Copyright: 2013 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc.
Contact: http://www2.arkansasonline.com/contact/voicesform/
Website: http://www2.arkansasonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/25
Note: Accepts letters to the editor from Arkansas residents only

REMEMBER: 48.56 PERCENT

Arkansas would be the first state in the South . . . .

WHO KNEW the election concerning "medical" marijuana two years ago 
would be so close? And in Arkansas, too. What a small, wonderfully 
idiosyncratic state. The same state that re-elected a Republican, 
Winthrop Rockefeller, as governor in 1968 also voted for a feisty 
little demagogue playing the race card in presidential politics that 
strange year- George Wallace. For good measure, Arkansas re-elected a 
Democrat-J. William Fulbright-as U.S. senator. Can we split our votes or what?

And in 2012, the same state that has dry counties all over the map 
almost voted to legalize medical marijuana. After all the votes were 
tallied, 48.56 percent of the electorate voted for the measure. 
That's not a misprint-48.56 percent. Round it up to 49 percent. If 
our questionable math skills can be trusted, that's almost 50 percent. Or half.

Goodness. This state was close to becoming the first-and only-state 
in the South to legalize access to marijuana. Which would have been a 
mistake. A big mistake.

Before the letters start pouring in from the 48.56 
percent-again-let's understand: The drug in marijuana that curbs the 
pain of some chronic illnesses, and allows patients to feel well 
enough to eat and keep the weight on, can now be prescribed by 
doctors in the form of a pill. And can be distributed by licensed 
pharmacists. Without having little Mary Jane farms all over the state.

A group of physicians in Arkansas came out against medical marijuana 
in 2012 because, they said, marijuana isn't medicine. What marijuana 
is, is a gateway drug. And once it becomes legal in a state, even if 
it's "just for medical reasons," the slope is as slippery as your 
driveway was this last icy weekend.

Some of those who have promoted the use of marijuana for medical 
reasons have now started to push it as just another "recreational" 
drug. Case in point: an outfit in Washington, D.C., called the 
Marijuana Policy Project. According to one Mason Tvert, its 
spokesman, the group's focus has shifted from advocating medical 
marijuana to just plain ol' legalization. Although his group is for 
loosening up the laws on pot around the country, he says it might 
could provide resources for pro-medical marijuana proposals in 
Arkansas, too, next time around.

To quote the aforesaid Mr. Tvert: "There was significant support for 
medical marijuana in the 2012 election, and we would love for 
Arkansas to be the first Southern state to adopt a medical-marijuana law."

Well, sure. It's called getting a foot in the door.

THE 48.56 percent will get another shot at success at the polls next 
year. Two pro-marijuana groups are trying to get initiated acts on 
the ballot come 2014. Hundreds of volunteers are said to be 
collecting thousands of signatures in Arkansas. Others are raising 
money for the campaign to follow.

Lest we forget, states that now allow marijuana for whatever purpose, 
and let their residents pretty much smoke 'em if you got 'em, started 
out by approving just medical-marijuana laws. In 1998, the state of 
Washington passed a medical-marijuana law, and now recreational use 
is legal there. Colorado passed its medical-marijuana law in 2000, 
and a dozen years later, you can get your Rocky Mountain High without 
much bother.

Note to alert voters: When you see medical marijuana on the ballot 
again, and you just might, remember what's going on in Washington 
state and Colorado. And what's going in their citizens. So make a 
note to vote if, or rather when, the marijuana lobby gets its 
proposal on the ballot. And we don't mean a vote for pot but against.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom