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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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US MI: Locals Sign On To Legalize Marijuana
ccguide Thursday 23 Aug 2001 Pubdate: Wed, 22 Aug 2001 Source: Tuscola County Advertiser (MI) Copyright: 2001 The Tuscola County Advertiser Address: P.O. Box 106, Caro, MI. 48723-0106 Contact: Fax: (517) 673-5662 Website: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd55 Author: David Bossick Cited: http://www.PRAyes.com/ LOCALS SIGN ON TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA A local petition drive is underway to amend the state Constitution to allow people to grow marijuana in their home for personal use. The attempt to legalize limited marijuana use was intended for a 2000 ballot issue, but fell short of that year's election. Supporter Saginaw attorney Greg Schmid and others think they can get the 300,000 signatures needed to put the proposal before the voters in 2002. That proposal would allow adults 21 and over to grow marijuana in their home for personal use. They would not be allowed to use it while in a car, in public or near children, Schmid said. "It's not a 'free-love' type of Constitutional amendment. It's a responsible approach," he said. Schmid believes that personally growing and using marijuana is not a violation of the law because sales are not involved. Other arguments for passing an amendment are that the current drug law actually creates a black market for drug use. He also noted the expense of prosecuting and housing marijuana smokers and the forfeiting of possessions because of convictions. The money that would be saved could go to educating the public on substance abuse as well as gambling and other vices, Schmid said. Wayne Coulter of Caro is circulating petitions across the state from Tuscola County to Muskegon County on the western side. He gathered signatures at this year's county fair as well as on the steps of the courthouse and near the Secretary of State's office. "I'm all for the medical use," Coulter said. "I believe the laws need to be changed. I know my minister would look down on me, but I have to stand up for what I believe in. "I used to do it for medical use." Coulter said he suffers from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, a disease where some of the nerves continue to be active long after an injury. In Coulter's case, it was a car accident. He not only encourages to have people sign petitions, but also has petitions dropped off with him. Coulter then forwards them to Schmid. All sorts of people have signed the petitions, too. "A lot of elderly people signed when I was at the county fair," he added. Doug O'Parka is another local resident helping with the drive. He said he supports the measure because it would allow medical use. O'Parka says he has suffered from a back injury for 13 years. Schmid said the deadline for signatures is Oct. 3 and already the effort has yielded roughly 200,000 signatures. Often during petition drives, the signatures come in toward the end. A local group has been formed to aid the drive. That group, Tuscola County Chapter of the National Organization for the Reformation of the Marijuana Laws, meets the first Saturday of every month at 9 p.m. For more information regarding the group, call 672-HEMP. For more information on the Personal Responsibility Amendment to help legalize personal marijuana growth and use, go to www.PRAyes.com on the internet or call (989) 239-9000. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens
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