cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Initiative Qualifies for Arizona Ballot Marijuana Initiative Qualifies for Arizona Ballot Posted by CN Staff on August 12, 2002 at 21:29:12 PT By The Associated Press Source: Associated Press A drug-policy initiative that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana will appear on Arizona's general-election ballot, state officials announced Tuesday. A sampling of submitted voter signatures indicated that they included 164,274 signatures, or 161.5 percent of the minimum needed, the Secretary of State's office. Proposition 203 would make possession of 2 ounces or less of marijuana a civil violation punishable by a fine of no more than $250. The fine could be waived by taking a drug education class. Besides reducing penalties for marijuana possession from a low-level felony, the law would allow doctors to recommend, rather than prescribe, marijuana for qualifying patients. Doctors who want to prescribe marijuana under Arizona's 1996 law have been discouraged by threats of federal criminal charges. Also, the state Department of Public Safety would be required to distribute confiscated marijuana for free to those who receive doctors' recommendations. In addition, the proposal would expand existing laws that generally bar prison or jail sentences for nonviolent drug offenders. It would bar judges from including jail time as a probation condition. Source: Associated Press Published: August 12, 2002Copyright: 2002 Associated Press Related Articles:Pot Battle Looming for State http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12717.shtmlCannabisNews - Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by mayan on August 13, 2002 at 16:46:28 PT Nuevo Mexican... Thanks for the link NM! I don't trust any RepubliCrats anymore...well, maybe Gary Johnson!Here's one for ya' NM!They Let It Happen On Purpose! 9/11 The final Dots - Top 20 LIHOP Suspects: http://www.scoop.co.nz/archive/scoop/stories/4c/5d/200208131710.6145c696.htmlGo-Go,Arizona!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Windminstrel on August 13, 2002 at 05:16:30 PT this one will be interesting Arizona is a cool combination of aging hippies up north, conservative Christians and mormons around Phoenix, and a shitload of hard-partying college kids in Tempe and Tucson. I'm thinking it stands a decent chance of passing, as the Arizona conservatives tend to be hardcore paleocons. On the other hand, the Arizonans did manage to elect Ev Mecham, so God only knows what they're capable of. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by CorvallisEric on August 13, 2002 at 04:00:27 PT Comment 5 Dana Rohrabacher may be a conservative Republican and an oddball, but he is also a co-sponsor of Barney Frank's medical MJ bill. No mention of drug policy on Democratic opponent Schipske's website. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Nuevo Mexican on August 13, 2002 at 00:49:16 PT Unrelated but verrrry interestink! FOM,Kaptinemo,dddd,c-newsers all, what do you think of this! Things are getting out of control! Looks like a shadow Gov kind of war must be going on behind the scenes, destroying itself from the inside, due to corrupt and vicious something or others.... Take heart, it's gonna fall...Peace!jRohrabacher Secretly Met Taliban Prior to 9/11 Same Congressman Secretly Joined Mujahideen in 1988 http://www.schipske4congress.org/afghanstn.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Nuevo Mexican on August 13, 2002 at 00:41:56 PT TooStoned, Arizona! is what we used to get from all that border weed in the 110 degree summer! $100 a kilo in 1972, by 1975 it was $120 a elbow! Demand went up, and has never stopped! I recommend a visit in the winter! Mt. Lemon, Sabino Canyon, 7 Falls, Paul and Lindas' house I got to install a spiral staircase in, Suharo Cacti, check it out! It has always been the real Cannabis Capitol in the U.S.! Mesa (hell) must be trying to get in on the vibe! Does anyone know that these are the real lyrics to 'Get Back' What Jokesters!Get Back (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) Lead Vocal: Paul McCartney[Rosetta..Sweet Loretta Fart thought she was a cleaner but she was a frying pan, yeahRosetta...The picker! The picker! Picture the fingers burning!Oo-wee!OK?1,2, 1,2,3,4]Jojo was a man who thought he was a loner But he knew it wouldn't last Jojo left his home in Tucson, Arizona For some California grassGet back, get back Get back to where you once belonged Get back, get back Get back to where you once belonged Get back Jojo Go homeGet back, get back Get back to where you once belonged Get back, get back Get back to where you once belonged Get back JoSweet Loretta Martin thought she was a woman But she was another man All the girls around her say she's got it coming But she gets it while she canGet back, get back Get back to where you once belonged Get back, get back Get back to where you once belonged Get back Loretta Go homeGet back, get back Get back to where you once belonged Get back, get back Get back to where you once belongedGet back Woo...[Thanks, Mo!I'd like to say "thank you" on behalf of the group and ourselves and I hope we passed the audition!] [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by BGreen on August 13, 2002 at 00:34:00 PT Drug Education Class I'll take the class Nol is giving in the Netherlands that teaches people how to run a coffeeshop.It's just like my botany training, isn't it? Botany was educational, and a "drug" can be defined as: A substance used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication, so who says a drug education class has to have a poorly trained Nazi spouting lies and outrageous propaganda at innocent cannabis users? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Industrial Strength on August 13, 2002 at 00:21:16 PT drug education classes Would that really be worth $250? I'm kidding, I think thats a good provision that looks after the less fortunate. Surely they don't expect to change any minds? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by BGreen on August 13, 2002 at 00:12:03 PT Do they have to vote twice? This is great news. After reading the NORML page describing current cannabis laws in Missouri, I was feeling a little nauseous. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment