Pubdate: Thu, 31 Jul 2014
Source: Pryor Daily Times (OK)
Copyright: 2014 The Daily Times
Contact:  http://www.pryordailytimes.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4513
Author: Cydney Baron, Staff Writer

MARIJUANA PETITION IN PRYOR

Pryor Times - Prohibition does not work.

This is the mantra of the Oklahoma Coalition Against Prohibition,
which is circulating a petition to decriminalize medical marijuana.

The organization assisted another advocacy group who set up a petition
table in Pryor last weekend.

"Our mission is to seek the improvement of quality of life of
Oklahomans by seeking to end prohibition," the OKCAP website says. "In
Oklahoma cannabis prohibition has adversely impacted the quality of
lives of Oklahomans; their freedom, the state's agriculture, economic
growth, family structure, employment opportunities, healthcare and
generally many other aspects of normal life for a human being."

The group first set up in Pryor at Rocklahoma, where 1,000 signatures
were collected. The group does not have the total number collected
from the stop outside Casey's Vapors on Highway 69 in Pryor, but said
they did very well there.

Statewide the group has collected about 100,000 signatures, according
to OKCAP volunteer Shawn, with another 10,000-20,000 signatures that
have been collected but have yet to be turned in.

"When someone walks up to our table, we ask them if they are a
registered voter," said Katherine, the OKCAP leader for Seminole
County. "If they are not we provide voter registration forms for them
to fill out, which we then take straight to the election board to turn
in. Then we ask them if they know anything about medical marijuana, if
they have done research and read case studies. Most people have heard
about it because it's a pretty hot button issue right now.

Shawn said the goal is to make an allowance in the state of Oklahoma
for medicinal marijuana, with an accompanying identification card.
Anyone arrested in possession of marijuana without a valid medical
marijuana card would receive a ticket not to exceed $400.

"It's not logical for this to carry jail time. We'd like to
decriminalize it so it carries fines only," said Shawn.

Shawn said according to OKCAP research, 70-80 percent of Oklahomans
are in favor of the decriminalization of medical marijuana, but most
are afraid to sign the petition.

"People want it but they are too afraid to ask for it. In small towns,
fear of retaliation or fear of police harassment keep people from
signing," Shawn said. "But it just makes sense to decriminalize it, it
will help a lot of people."

The petition is still available to sign at Casey's Vapors, Shawn
said.

He said OKCAP is seeking permission to set up a petition table outside
Walmart this weekend. After that, they hope to go to Tahlequah, then
Locust Grove.

The last stop in Tahlequah gathered 100 signatures, while the OKCAP
table at Tulsa's Center of the Universe Festival gathered
approximately 2,000. The lobbyists need a total of 155,216 valid
petition signatures to get the measure on a ballot. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D