INITIATIVE WOULD ALLOW REGULATED SALE OF MARIJUANA

Medical marijuana card-holders would be able to buy marijuana from
state-licensed dispensaries under an initiative that proponents hope
to put before voters next year.

Voter Power, a Portland-based medical marijuana advocacy group, hopes
to gather the necessary signatures by July 5, 2002, to qualify the
measure for the November 2002 general election ballot, the group's
director, John Sajo, said Thursday. The measure would need about
89,000 signatures of registered voters to qualify for the ballot.

Final language of the initiative hasn't been decided, but it also
would make other changes to the state's medical marijuana law,
approved by voters in 1998, Sajo said. The other changes, part of a
bill that died in the 2001 Legislature, could include:

Allowing naturopaths and nurse-practitioners to authorize their
patients to obtain medical marijuana cards.

Allowing patients to use marijuana for "any medical condition," so
long as their health care provider believed it could help. Current
law permits marijuana use for a few specific illnesses and symptoms.

Increasing the number of plants that card-holders or their designated
caregivers could grow and possess. Current law permits three mature
plants and four immature plants and possession of up to 3 ounces.

Permitting up to three medical marijuana card-holders to possess up
to 10 plants each, plus 1 ounce of usable marijuana for each plant,
at one location.

But the most significant change would be the creation of
state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. Such a system would
solve one of the biggest difficulties patients say they have with the
law: obtaining a steady, reliable supply.

Growing quality marijuana can be a tricky, risky and expensive
proposition, patients and advocates contend. Voter Power decided to
try to put the dispensary question before voters after commissioning
a poll that group members said found strong support for the idea.

Another initiative proposed for the November 2002 ballot would ask
voters to amend the state constitution to permit adults to privately
grow, possess and consume marijuana.