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  Medical Marijuana: Russo Upset at Guinn Decision
Posted by FoM on July 24, 2001 at 07:30:05 PT
By Ed Vogel, Donrey Capital Bureau 
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal  

medical Former gubernatorial candidate Aaron Russo said Monday that Gov. Kenny Guinn's decision not to fund the state's medical marijuana program may induce him to challenge the governor in next year's election.

"The people in the state voted on medical marijuana twice and the governor has denied what the people of Nevada wanted," Russo said. "Because of the way he is behaving I may run against him. He is acting more like a king than a governor."

Guinn declined an invitation to comment on Russo's views.

Russo said he was disgusted by comments made last Wednesday by Paul Iverson, director of the state Department of Agriculture.

Iverson said he did not want Russo to embark on a new television advertising campaign to raise money to fund the medical marijuana program. He said he was dismayed because Russo uses the medical marijuana issue to attack Guinn.

Iverson's agency manages the medical marijuana program that begins Oct. 1. Under the program, patients with permission of a doctor can use marijuana to treat symptoms of cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and other diseases.

Nevada became the ninth state to approve a medical marijuana program when 65 percent of the voters last November backed a constitutional amendment creating the program. In the 1998 election, 59 percent of the voters supported the same question. To change the constitution, voters must approve ballot questions in two elections.

While Guinn signed a bill in June setting up the medical marijuana program, he did not put aside $30,000 in his $3.8 billion state budget to operate the program.

Despite the lack of money, Iverson said his agency will implement the program, running it with existing staff and using funds designed for other agriculture programs.

"We are going to take care of it with existing staff," Iverson said. "It is no different than any other unfunded mandate. We encourage donations, but we are going to make it work with what we have."

Russo said he strongly differs with Iverson's interpretation that the medical marijuana program is another unfunded mandate.

"This is beyond an unfunded mandate," he said. "It is a constitutional law. How can you vote for a governor who doesn't listen to the will of the people? The people wanted medical marijuana. It is the law of the land."

Russo said he smoked marijuana earlier in his life and has "no shame about it." He said there are many people like him and that Guinn "is a dinosaur."

Despite Iverson's wish he not raise funds to run the medical marijuana program, Russo said he will go ahead with fund-raising and eventually present a check to the Agriculture Department. He said he received many calls from supporters willing to pay for the medical marijuana program when he ran a series of television ads this spring.

Note: Unwillingness to fund program has one-time candidate mulling another run for governor.

Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)
Author: Ed Vogel, Donrey Capital Bureau
Published: Tuesday, July 24, 2001
Copyright: 2001 Las Vegas Review-Journal
Contact: letters@lvrj.com
Website: http://www.lvrj.com/

Related Articles:

Medical Marijuana Program To Start Oct. 1
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10359.shtml

Medical Marijuana: Funding To Run Program Lacking
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10233.shtml

Medical Marijuana Law Earns Signature
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10059.shtml


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Comment #3 posted by mayan on July 24, 2001 at 17:05:21 PT
Anybody home America?
Our servants have become our masters. The founding fathers are rolling in their graves. They would not put up with this sh*t & would be p*ssed off at us for putting up with it.

If this doesn't piss people off then they deserve what they get. They deserve what they put up with!

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Comment #2 posted by sm247 on July 24, 2001 at 14:45:50 PT
Free AMERIKKA
We are living in a dictatorship not a free country our founder envisioned...then they wonder why we smoke pot. Gotta free your mind then the heart and soul will follow.

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Comment #1 posted by bruce42 on July 24, 2001 at 09:53:39 PT
go Russo
"The people in the state voted on medical marijuana twice and the governor has denied what the people of Nevada wanted," Russo said. "Because of the way he is behaving I may run against him. He is acting more like a king than a governor."

No kidding. The job of the government is to enact the will of the people, NOT to impose its will upon us. It's funny how constitutions get tossed aside when people want to play dictator.

I hope Russo tromps him.

peace



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