FLINT POT VOTE MOSTLY SYMBOLIC

FLINT - The three days Charles Snyder III spent in jail after being
accused of a laundry list of drug crimes strengthened his resolve to
seek legalization of marijuana for medical use.

Snyder, 29, of Flint is one of the driving forces behind an
initiative that would change Flint ordinances to allow possession and
use of marijuana with doctor's approval - theoretically, at least.

The issue goes before Flint residents in a Feb. 27 election, but the
vote is largely symbolic because pot usage - recreational and
medicinal - would still be illegal under both state and federal laws.
And they trump local ordinances.

Opponents say a city already battling a crime problem dominated by
drugs shouldn't legalize marijuana use, even under special circumstances.

City Council President Darryl Buchanan said he can't speak from a
medical standpoint, but he opposes the initiative and believes it
could send a wrong message about drug use to children.

"I don't condone any drug use. I will not be voting for it," Buchanan
said "We already have our hands full combating drugs and crime in Flint."

Supporters claim marijuana helps treat nausea, pain and other
symptoms of as many as 200 diseases. They say it's important to offer
as much protection as possible to prevent seriously ill patients from
going to jail for smoking pot.

Snyder said the three days he spent in jail before being able to post
bond were a "wake-up call" to continue pushing for such a measure. He
was busted in August 2005 after a raid on his house, where he was
growing 12 marijuana plants.

He originally was charged with six drug offenses, including
maintaining a drug house. All were eventually dropped except
manufacture of marijuana, for which he paid a $500 fine.

Snyder said he had been smoking marijuana to self-medicate for nail
patella syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes pain in his joints.

He said he now takes OxyContin, a powerful pain reliever known for
its addictive qualities, three times a day through a doctor's
prescription, but that marijuana worked better.

The ballot proposal would allow individuals and their caregivers to
be in possession of marijuana and paraphernalia if they have written
proof they use it under a doctor's supervision. It also allows the
patient, but not a caregiver, to use marijuana.

Medical marijuana is a trendy national issue, thanks in part to aging
baby boomers who are experiencing more health ailments. It has grown
in attention along with herbal remedies, pain management and end-of-life care.

There's little scientific study of marijuana as a medicine, though,
and most prominent politicians are loath to express support.

Flint resident Mark Harris, 50, at first was leery of any
legalization of pot - until he found out the local initiative
mandates a doctor's approval.

Harris said he was still concerned about possible abuse, but he
thought marijuana could help some people, especially terminally ill patients.

"That's something you do for sick people, you make them comfortable
before they leave you," Harris said.

Snyder, along with campaign manager Brian Morrissey, 24, of Flint,
collected more than 2,000 signatures to put the issue to a vote. They
also tried in 2005 but never made it onto the ballot because of
improper proposal language.

The Genesee County Medical Society has not taken a stance on the
issue, and the effort has received no official endorsements from
local officials.

Still, backers are confident and expect to spend a $7,500 grant from
the Marijuana Policy Project on campaign material.

Supporters might have reason to be optimistic. The medical marijuana
measure has passed in Michigan every time and everywhere it's been on
the ballot. Four other Michigan cities have approved similar ordinances.

However, residents in those communities are no closer to openly
smoking pot than anyone else.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that patients using marijuana
under a doctor's care still can be charged for violating federal law,
essentially overriding local communities and the 11 states that now allow it.

Snyder said he believes approving the ballot measure would at least
give Flint police the option of looking the other way.

And, ultimately, its passage would bring more weight to efforts to
change people's hearts and minds, as well as state and federal laws, he said.

[sidebars]

ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Some states and cities have passed laws that would allow for the use
of medical marijuana, although federal law still prohibits it:

Statewide: Ann Arbor, Detroit, Ferndale and Traverse City

Nationwide: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montan a,
Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington

Sources: Flint Journal files, Marijuana Policy Project

ABOUT THE ELECTION

Who: Registered Flint voters

What: Election to decide if Flint should "exempt individuals
possessing or using (marijuana) for medical purposes under a
physician's care from the provisions of the code making it a criminal offense."

When: Feb. 27

Where: City of Flint only

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

Should all marijuana use remain a crime, or should it be legalized
for medicinal use? Should Flint voters pass or reject the local
ballot question? Weigh in with an e-mail to jforen@flintjournal.com,
and be sure to include your full name and hometown.