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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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US NV: Nevada To Vote On Legalizing Small Amounts Of Marijuana
ccguide Thursday 11 Jul 2002 Pubdate: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 Source: Chicago Tribune (IL) Copyright: 2002 Chicago Tribune Company Contact: Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82 Author: Associated Press NEVADA TO VOTE ON LEGALIZING SMALL AMOUNTS OF MARIJUANA CARSON CITY, Nev. -- Voters in Nevada, which up until last year had the nation's strictest marijuana law, will decide in November whether to let adults legally possess small amounts of the drug. State officials said Tuesday that a petition drive to put the measure on the ballot had narrowly succeeded with about 75,000 valid signatures. Under the proposal, marijuana would be sold in state-licensed shops and taxed like cigarettes and other tobacco products. A distribution system would also be set up to provide low-cost marijuana for medical uses. To become law, the change needs voter approval this year and in 2004. Whether it could ever take effect is unclear. Federal law bans marijuana possession, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that states cannot make exceptions for medical use. The proposal would let adults have up to 3 ounces of marijuana. Driving under the influence would still be illegal, as would using marijuana in public places. "The success of our petition drive provides solid evidence that most Nevadans think it's a waste of their tax dollars to arrest people for small amounts of marijuana," said Billy Rogers of Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement. Law-enforcement groups in Nevada are expected to oppose the ballot measure. "Three ounces is quite a bit," said Lt. Stan Olsen, lobbyist for the Las Vegas police. "If we legalize it, what is next? A lot of people don't use drugs now because they are illegal, and they stand to lose in their personal or professional lives if they use." Until last year, puffing on a single marijuana cigarette in Nevada was a felony punishable by a year or more behind bars. But the stiff penalties were rarely imposed. Lawmakers have since made possession of less than an ounce a misdemeanor. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth
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