ANTI-POT ACTIVIST ANGLES FOR 'NO' VOTE

PITTSFIELD -- It's official: Massachusetts residents will vote in
November on whether to decriminalize minor possession of marijuana,
and William T. Breault of Worcester is out to see that they vote "no."

Breault, an activist who heads up the Main South Alliance for Public
Safety, said citizens have an obligation to get educated about the
issue. He accuses the decriminalization advocates of using "deceptive
tactics" to gain voter support.

The Boston-based group behind the referendum vote, the Committee for a
Sensible Marijuana Policy, has received certification of its 13,481
signatures gathered to bring the issue to voters, and is now awaiting
its ballot number designation from the Secretary of State's office,
said spokeswoman Whitney Taylor.

The measure calls for changing minor marijuana possession -- defined
as less than an ounce -- from a crime to a civil infraction.

The amendment would also mandate parental notification requirements
for offenders under 18, plus drug awareness education and community
service -- consequences not included in present criminal penalties.

Taylor said the consequences of conviction for minor marijuana
possession can include a criminal record that can impede a person's
ability to get a job, student loan, or in some instances, access to
housing.

But in his swing through Pittsfield on Monday, Breault reiterated his
long-standing opposition to! the decriminalization effort, and said he's
seeking others to join his cause, which so far has been endorsed by
district attorneys and police chiefs around the state.

He said the decriminalization effort is at sharp odds with evidence
that marijuana use, particularly among teens, carries more health
risks than it did years ago, when the drug had less concentrations of
THC, the main psychoactive component of pot.

Breault said that in his Worcester neighborhood, he's seen people
robbed, injured and killed over marijuana, and with decriminalization,
those problems could escalate.

Marijuana use cited in emergency room admissions is on the rise
nationally, Breault said. And contrary to what the Boston group
states, he claimed that few, if any, inmates in the state's jails are
sent there for minor marijuana possession alone; in local courts, it's
not uncommon for first-time possession offenders to receive an
eventual dismissal of the charges, with no criminal record resulting.

"The way to beat this is to energize the voters and have them look at
this," said Breault.

Taylor described Breault as "a hardcore drug warrior" without much
organization behind his effort.

Current Massachusetts law states that people in possession of
marijuana can face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

The criminal record that results is "a black mark on his or her record
that lingers long after the minor offense and jeopardizes the person's
ability to obtain jobs, housing, and school loans," according the Web
site, www.sensiblemarijuanapolicy.org.

The new law would amend marijuana possession to a civil infraction,
eliminate the criminal record issue and, according to advocates, save
about $29.5 million per year in law enforcement resources.

The amended law would not change current penalties for selling,
growing, and trafficking marijuana, as well as the prohibition against
driving under the influence of marijuana.

Local law enforcement personnel are sharply opposed to dropping the
criminal penalties for possession, saying that dealers who travel with
more than an ounce of marijuana can simply carry around less, to avoid
criminal charges.

District Attorney David Capeless said decriminalizing marijuana will
mean a proliferation of use, as dealers pick up more customers. He
cited the documented health risks of marijuana use and a correlation
between use among teens, depression and suicidal thoughts.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that THC increases the
heart rate. A recent Yale University study also showed that THC
administered to 150 health volunteers led to psychotic symptoms in 50
percent of them.

"The marijuana being pedaled today is far stronger than the marijuana
being used years ago," Capeless said yesterday.

Capeless said his overriding concern is that the ballot measure "sends
the wrong message to kids," who in general have been reporting less
marijuana use in recent years.

Earlier this year, Capeless said roughly 4 percent of all cases that
go through his office each year deal with simple marijuana possession,
and that most marijuana charges are associated with other criminal
activity.

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AT A GLANCE

Current State Law

People arrested with any amount of marijuana can face criminal
charges, up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

Proposed Change

People arrested with less than an ounce of marijuana would be charged
with a civil infraction, the equivalent of a speeding ticket.