cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Initiative Foes Fight 'Lie'










  Marijuana Initiative Foes Fight 'Lie'

Posted by CN Staff on August 27, 2002 at 07:38:17 PT
By Elvia Díaz 
Source: AZCentral.com  

The state Department of Public Safety could end up distributing marijuana for free to virtually anyone who asks for it, opponents of a drug initiative said Monday. "It puts DPS in the drug distribution business," said Joe Garagiola Jr., senior vice president and general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. "This is a bad thing for Arizona," said Garagiola, chairman of Battleground Arizona, a committee formed to fight Proposition 203 in the November ballot.
The initiative, backed by University of Phoenix founder John Sperling, would require DPS to distribute up to 2 ounces of marijuana to each person who obtains a recommendation from a physician. A prescription would not be required. The measure would also decriminalize 2 ounces or less of the drug. "Why should we give out pot for free?" asked Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley during a Monday news conference. Sam Vagenas, a proponent of the initiative, disagreed with Romley's characterization and said residents have the right to have a medical marijuana law after voting for it twice before. But he did not dispute that marijuana could be given free to patients who ask for it and that DPS would be required to distribute the drug. While 2 ounces of marijuana may not sound like a huge amount, it would be enough to make 200 small cigarettes, said Romley as he stood against a banner accentuating opponents' campaign dubbed "Don't buy the lie." He emptied two bags filled with cigarettes made of parsley to show how many can be made from the monthly dosage required to be distributed to the ill if Proposition 203 passes.The real objective, Romley and Garagiola said, is to legalize drugs. Proponents argue the drug initiative not only could benefit people with debilitating medical conditions but could also save taxpayers money by treating offenders instead of jailing them.A 1996 law allowed marijuana to be used for medical purposes if they get a doctor's prescription. But state lawmakers effectively nixed the practice and thus created the need for a new measure, Vagenas said."We don't want to decriminalize marijuana as he (Romley) claims," Vagenas said. "Our real interest is medical marijuana."For the fourth time, Romley challenged Sperling to a debate. Vagenas said his camp would not agree to anything until Romley turns over all public documents about his involvement with the proposal. Source: AZCentral.com (AZ)Author: Elvia DíazPublished: August 27, 2002Copyright: 2002 azcentral.comWebsite: http://www.azcentral.com/Contact: http://www.azcentral.com/help/comment-form.phpRelated Articles:Prop. 203: The Debate Over Pot Laws http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13869.shtmlIt's Time We Scrap Drug Laws Mired in Failure http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13868.shtmlMarijuana Initiative Qualifies for Arizona Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13727.shtml 

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Comment #10 posted by Prop203 on August 27, 2002 at 13:16:41 PT:

Opps
Im sorryOn the news last night it was72% yes 
----
28% no Sorry for the typo ,I was just so excited.. :)Also a new poll I found today is even better!http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/KTVKLNews20020618.3e6d0cb2.htmlLocal AZ POLL!!78% YES 
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19% No 
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4% undecided
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Comment #9 posted by Prime on August 27, 2002 at 12:55:54 PT

Why?
""Why should we give out pot for free?" asked Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley during a Monday news conference
"Because you've been stealing it from innocent people for the last 30 years you twisted wretch.
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on August 27, 2002 at 12:20:19 PT

Prop203
I like your name. Now lets hope it wins!
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Comment #7 posted by Prop203 on August 27, 2002 at 12:11:59 PT:

Poll
Phx New last night!Would u support 203?  78% YES ---- 28% no

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Comment #6 posted by canaman on August 27, 2002 at 09:49:51 PT

Withdrawal from Prohibition is the worst!
With temporary(?)insanity, loss of purpose in life and hallucinations that the sky is falling just a few of the symptoms. Quitting 'cold turkey' would be the best for these poor addicts. No one likes to see grown adults cry like little babies. But everyone needs to grow up sometime. GROW UP ANTIS! Become productive members of society like the people whose lives you used to ruin. Be responsible for your actions...GET A LIFE! You WILL feel better once you've kicked the habit!
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Comment #5 posted by goneposthole on August 27, 2002 at 09:42:45 PT

"Don't buy the lie"
Buy cannabis.
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Comment #4 posted by BGreen on August 27, 2002 at 09:20:56 PT

Beer and the Diamondbacks
The beer flows freely at the BOB. On draft at most concession stands is MGD, Miller Lite or Bud Light ($5 for a regular beer, $6 for a large), while a few stands also serve Fat Tire beer, a microbrewed beer from Fort Collins, Colorado (of all places). There are many other beer stands where you can find Budweiser, Coors or Sonora (brewed by a Phoenix microbrewery) beers on tap. The same beer stands also have a wide selection of bottled beers ($4.75 for bottles, $8 for "bombers"), including Rolling Rock, Sam Adams, Corona, Fat Tire, Beck's, Beck's Dark, Heineken and Foster's. Other alcoholic beverages are served at the BOB as well, including wine, mixed drinks, and slush cocktails (frozen margaritas, strawberry daiquiris).Outside the stadium, the Leinenkugel Ballyard Brewery serves up microbrewed beers, sandwiches and bar fare. The radio and television broadcasts of the game are piped into the restaurant, if you decide to sneak out for a heater and beer. On tap are baseball- themed brews; I enjoyed the Rally Red and Bleacher Blond microbrews. In addition, the brewery has an outdoor seating area where you can sip a beer and smoke a cigar.
Arizona Diamondbacks / Bank One Ballpark
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Comment #3 posted by BGreen on August 27, 2002 at 09:08:02 PT

This is why baseball was mentioned the other day
"It puts DPS in the drug distribution business," said Joe Garagiola Jr., senior vice president and general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks. "This is a bad thing for Arizona," said Garagiola, chairman of Battleground Arizona, a committee formed to fight Proposition 203 in the November ballot.
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Comment #2 posted by kaptinemo on August 27, 2002 at 08:05:52 PT:

"Lie", huh?
Seems to me that calls for a lawyer...after all, Mr. Garagiola has just defamed every person working for drug law reform in Arizona...indeed, in all America - by calling us liars.Now, is it slander or libel that he's guilty of? After all, in this age of communication, it would appear he's done both...
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Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo MD on August 27, 2002 at 07:55:37 PT:

Are We Sick of the Lies?
We have already heard endless debates as to how many joints can be rolled per ounce.A convenient rejoinder to any distortions or misrepresentations presented by prohibitionists would be to remind them how the Federal government operates on the issue.NIDA provided cannabis cigarettes contain about 900 mg. or their material including its stems and seeds. The legal patients smoke up to ten of these a day. This equals better than a third of an ounce a day. Thus, the 2 oz. suggested limit might represent less than a week's supply for certain medical users.All of this is documented in the Chronic Use Study, which our dear FoM has been kind enough to post:http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/ccu.pdfPlease send to all politicians, judges, prohibitionists, doubters, commentators, propagandists, doomsayers, and their kin. 
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