LOURAS, DUBIE SPEAK OUT AGAINST MARIJUANA LAW

MONTPELIER -- The mayors of Barre and Rutland joined Lt. Gov. Brian
Dubie in opposing a bill that lowers the criminal penalties for
possessing small amounts of marijuana, warning that it is a step
backward in the battle against drugs.

Dubie, who presided over the Vermont Senate last week as it easily
passed a bill removing jail time for possession of an ounce or less
of marijuana, said Friday Vermont's prosecutors told him they worry
the bill will make their jobs harder.

"We shouldn't be second-guessing our state's attorneys and removing
some of the tools from their toolbox," said Dubie, who added that the
threat of marijuana possession prosecution could be useful for
investigators in situations involving other drugs. "This sends a
message that we don't think they are doing their job properly."

The mayors of two Vermont cities that have experienced serious drug
problems in recent years joined Dubie in his opposition.

Barre City Mayor Thomas Lauzon, who favors decriminalization of
marijuana, said he opposes the bill because it does not "go far
enough" in stimulating a wide discussion of drug policy and other
related issues, and takes away powers from prosecutors.

Lauzon and other opponents said Friday that a provision of the bill
calling on the Vermont Sentencing Commission to review the state's
drug laws is not a wide enough view of the problem.

Lauzon suggested lawmakers instead look at ways of boosting funding
for drug task forces, which are facing shortfalls because of a
decrease in federal funding. U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., is
expected to announce funding for the task forces today.

Rutland City Mayor Christopher Louras was unable to attend the Friday
morning Statehouse news conference, but Dubie read a statement from
the mayor that called the marijuana bill "troubling" in the face of
the recent drug-related violence in the city.

A shooting over an alleged marijuana deal in Rutland recently left
one man dead.

"I implore to the state Legislature to leave this bill alone,"
Louras' statement read. "It is not the right time to take this issue
up when all public officials should be speaking with one voice that
any illegal drug activity, and the criminal violence it brings, must
be met head on with force and unity."

Friday's news conference marked the first organized attempt to stall
or block the marijuana bill as it moves to the House Judiciary
Committee having easily received the OK from the Vermont Senate this week.

"If this doesn't do much, then why are we doing this?" asked Sen.
George Coppenrath, R-Caledonia, who unsuccessfully tried to change
portions of the bill on the Senate floor this week. "Young children
are getting confused from the message coming from the Statehouse."

The bill passed by the Senate would allow those caught for the first
or second time with an ounce or less of marijuana to either accept a
fine ranging from $500 to $750 or enter the court diversion program.
Penalties, including jail time, would still be in place for larger
amounts of the drug.

Supporters, including Windsor County prosecutor Robert Sand, who
inspired the legislation when he came out in support of changing the
state's drug laws last year, say the bill puts into law the existing
practice of sending most, if not all, first-time marijuana possession
cases to the diversion program.

Meanwhile, Deb Haskins, an alcohol and drug counselor, warned that
marijuana represents a grave threat to Vermont's youth, as she linked
smoking the plant with health problems, poor school performance,
risky sex and car crashes.

She said she recently spoke to a group of eighth-graders, one of whom
thought lawmakers were legalizing marijuana. Vermont youth "don't
understand what this bill is about," and are getting a message that
pot is not harmful, she said.

"There is not a single counselor in the school system that supports
this law," said Haskins, who works in the state's school system on
substance abuse issues.

Haskins' statements prompted at least one member of the Vermont press
to ask Friday: "Doesn't this rhetoric sound like 'Reefer Madness'?"

"Refer Madness" is the notorious 1936 anti-marijuana film that
features young kids who toke up finding themselves entangled in car
accidents, murder, suicide, rape and madness?

No, responded Haskins, who added that her statements are backed by
studies and health reports.

"'Reefer Madness' was based on lies and scare tactics," she said.

Gov. James Douglas has taken a wait-and-see approach to the marijuana
bill, saying this week that it still has many legislative hurdles to
go before it would land on his desk for a signature or veto. He added
that he shares the worry that Vermont's youth might get the wrong
message from the proposed change.

House Speaker Gaye Symington, D-Jericho, said Friday during her
weekly meeting with reporters that she had briefly spoken that
morning with Dubie about his concerns, but hadn't issued any
directives to Rep. William Lippert, D-Hinesburg, the chairman of the
House Judiciary Committee.

"I'm not seeing a ton of Vermonters ask me about this bill,"
Symington said, who added that it is not one of her priorities for the session.