MARIJUANA FOES SEE THROUGH SMOKE SCREEN

Benefactor Backs Legalization

WORCESTER-- William T. Breault, head of the Main South Alliance for
Public Safety, called efforts to decriminalize possession of small
amounts of marijuana "a cynical dopey smoke screen" to cover "the
real agenda, an attempt to derail current effective drug laws."

"We want to put a bright light on this," said Mr. Breault, a longtime
opponent of decriminalization as well as needle exchange, who helped
to defeat a medical marijuana ballot question in 2000. "We think this
is not about decriminalization, it's about eventual legalization
given who's put up most of the money."

He referred to George Soros, the billionaire who has contributed
millions of dollars nationwide over the years to change marijuana
laws. Mr. Soros contributed $400,000 of the $429,000 raised for the
2008 initiative in Massachusetts.

"He's got a right to push for his ideas, but we're going to put the
statistical data out there that we have," Mr. Breault said. "We don't
want this thing decided by the Sugar Daddy of the legalization movement."

Mr. Breault said his group plans a statewide campaign modeled after
the successful 2000 effort, to fight this year's ballot question,
which would make possession of less than an ounce of cannabis a civil offense.

"We've sent letters to 250 police departments, all the district
attorneys, the attorney general, the secretary of state, 48 mayors
and we're going to be in contact with individual councilors in cities
all over the state," he said. "We'll be telling chambers of commerce
that decriminalization is bad for business. We'll be talking to
Rotary Clubs, the Boy Scouts -- everybody."

Proponents of decriminalization say recreational marijuana use is not
connected to hard drug addiction, while conviction can trail a person
for life and negatively affect job opportunities, the ability to
borrow money and even to rent an apartment.

Decriminalization would save the state more than $150 million in
police, prosecution, court and incarceration costs, according to two
studies done by Harvard professor Jeffrey A. Miron in 2002 and 2005.

By Mr. Miron's estimation, getting small possession arrests out of
the criminal system would save $53.9 million in police costs, $68.4
million in court costs, $7.95 million in prison costs and $24.3
million on the administrative aspects of arrests, including booking.

The ballot initiative would make possession of less than an ounce
punishable by a $100 fine, require attendance in a drug awareness
program and parental notification for offenders under 18.

Mr. Breault dismissed Mr. Miron's studies, saying "they were bought
and paid for by the legalization movement."

He said today's marijuana is four times more potent than the weed of
30 years ago and the Supreme Court has twice turned back efforts to
legalize marijuana for medical purposes.

"I don't think we should be sending out messages that it's OK to do
it (smoke marijuana)," Mr. Breault said. "We don't need this. We're
on solid ground opposing it."