MARIJUANA PROGRAM SHOULD COST TAXPAYERS NOTHING

To the editor:

This letter concerns the Aug. 1 article "Donation boosts medical marijuana
program." The article contains statements condemning Gov. Kenny Guinn for
failing to budget the funds necessary for the implementation of the medical
marijuana registry program that was established by Assembly Bill 453. These
statements are unfounded.

The medical marijuana initiative required the Legislature to enact a law
regarding the use of medical marijuana. It was left to the Legislature to
determine how to implement the provisions in the initiative.

Prior to the initiative, there was no method for the governor or anyone else
to determine the funding, if any, that would be necessary for the medical
marijuana program. In fact, the text which accompanied the initiative
approved by the voters contained the following fiscal note: "Financial
Impact: None. This proposal should have no negative fiscal impact."

Thus, the taxpayers who voted to approve this initiative most likely
anticipated that no taxpayer money would be expended to implement it. The
governor also had no basis upon which to request that taxpayer money be used
to fund a medical marijuana program.

At one point, AB453 contained provisions that would have required in excess
of $500,000 of taxpayer money for implementation. Then it progressed to a
program which would have required $30,000. Finally, the Legislature chose to
pass AB453 as a program that did not require any state funding, but which
relied solely on donations.

The governor approved the only medical marijuana bill that was passed by the
Legislature. Therefore, criticism of the governor for failing to approve
funding for the medical marijuana program is misplaced and unfounded. The
voters were told that the program envisioned in the initiative would have no
financial impact, and the Legislature, following the will of the people,
enacted such a program.

Frankie Sue Del Papa, Carson City