cannabisnews.com: Initiative May Make Some Drug Sales Legal





Initiative May Make Some Drug Sales Legal
Posted by FoM on July 13, 2000 at 07:34:17 PT
By Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services 
Source: Arizona Daily Star
County prosecutors want voters to know that a measure on the Nov. 7 ballot could make it legal for some people to sell drugs. But in insisting yesterday on making that obvious to voters, they may help make it come true. The initiative would decriminalize possession of less than two ounces of marijuana, making it punishable by a fine of no more than $500. 
It also allows anyone who has a doctor's recommendation to possess the drug. As crafted, though, the measure could be interpreted to exempt these people from all drug laws, allowing them to manufacture and sell any kind of drug, even to children. Not Intent of Initiative: Attorney Mike Walz, one of the authors of the measure, said that isn't the intent, though he conceded that the initiative, which will go on the ballot as Proposition 201, is poorly worded. So Walz had a solution: He asked the Legislative Council to word the explanation of the measure to say it is not the intent of the initiative to let people sell drugs. That analysis does not actually change the wording of the proposed law. But Walz said the explanation, which is mailed to every registered voter, can be cited in court as evidence of how judges should interpret the law. Lawmakers who make up the Legislative Council, however, went entirely the other way. They adopted an explanation supported by prosecutors from around the state who oppose the measure. Language is Clear: That language says clearly that the proposed new law would, in fact, authorize people who are legally entitled to use marijuana to also sell drugs. Walz warned lawmakers that carries a risk. He said voters may adopt the initiative anyway, even with the prosecutors' warning. Then, he said, courts that look to the ballot explanation to interpret the new law would see that it is clear that the law does, in fact, legalize the sale of drugs by some. "I hope you folks realize what you're doing," Walz said. "You're allowing some people to legally sell heroin to children. You folks are responsible for that." Angry Response: That comment drew an angry response from Sen. Rusty Bowers, R-Mesa. "We didn't bring this initiative," he shot back. "You brought the initiative. We want to make sure it's explained." Rep. Herschella Horton, D-Tucson, said she doesn't buy Walz's argument that changing the explanation will be helpful in preventing the legal sale of drugs if the measure passes. "By putting it in the analysis, it doesn't make it part of the initiative," she said. Phoenix, ArizonaPublished: Thursday, July 13, 2000Copyright: Arizona Daily StarRelated Articles:Initiatives a Sign of Distrusthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5488.shtmlDecrim. Efforts Begin To Take Shape In Arizonahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread3288.shtmlVote Could Mandate Pot Tickets http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread3273.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on July 15, 2000 at 11:28:11 PT
US AZ: Pot Measure Called Aid To Drug Dealers
Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jul 2000Source: Tucson Citizen (AZ)Copyright: 2000 Tucson CitizenContact: letters tucsoncitizen.com Website: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/Author: Tom Collins, Citizen Phoenix BureauProposition 201 could protect them from prosecution, claims the Legislative Council, which analyzed the ballot measure. Arizona lawmakers want voters to know that the latest ballot initiative on medical marijuana could end up making drug dealers immune from prosecution.But the chairman of the Drug Medicalization, Prevention and Control Act of 2000 campaign says lawmakers may be creating the loopholes in their explanation of the initiative, adopted Wednesday. Click the link to read the complete article.News Article Courtesy Of MapInc.http://mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n981/a02.html
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on July 13, 2000 at 17:38:16 PT
US AZ: Language Of Pot Initiative Argued
Pubdate: Thu, 13 Jul 2000Source: Arizona Republic (AZ)Copyright: 2000 The Arizona RepublicContact: opinions arizonarepublic.com Address: 200 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix, AZ 85004Website: http://www.arizonarepublic.com/Author: Robbie SherwoodThe backer of an initiative to legalize medical marijuana said it will be the fault of a legislative panel, not his, if the proposition also grants legal immunity to people who sell drugs to children. Michael Walz, chairman of Plants are Medicine, admits that Proposition 201 is poorly worded and contains a loophole protecting prescribed pot uses from other drug prosecutions. But on Wednesday he argued against including an explanation of the loophole in a voters guide. Click the link to read the complete article.News Article Courtesy Of MapInc.http://mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n974/a08.html
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Comment #1 posted by MikeEEEEE on July 13, 2000 at 17:28:22 PT
Bozos
Typical politial name calling and finger pointing, nobody wants to be responisible for the bad propaganda that comes out, and they imply selling a hard drug to the to kiddies, anything implied isn't fact; typical morons.
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