DECRIMINALIZING MARIJUANA FAVORED

Recommendation Heavily Backed in S. Shore Towns

Voters would rather have a little dope in their pockets than wine in
supermarkets.

The nonbinding ballot question asking voters to instruct their
representatives to support legislation that would make possessing less
than an ounce of marijuana a civil rather than a criminal infraction
passed by nearly 2 to 1 in Plymouth, Duxbury, Kingston and Halifax.

A question to approve medical use of marijuana passed 2 to 1 in
Milton. Meanwhile, voters in the four towns soundly rejected the
proposal to allow wine sales in grocery stores.

The marijuana question results pleased but did not surprise John
Leonard of the Drug Policy Forum, which sponsored the questions.

"We've run these questions in one-third of the state in rural, urban
and suburban districts and haven't lost yet," Leonard said. "I think
we have a good chance of getting some legislation passed in a Deval
Patrick administration."

A bill to decriminalize possession of less than an ounce of marijuana
is in the Ways and Means Committee.

Leonard said his group launched the question in Plymouth to win
support from the Ways and Means chairwoman, Sen. Therese Murray, D-Plymouth.

Leonard said Murray has been mum about her stance on the issue,
perhaps out of fear of a backlash.

"We want to show her there is wide support for this legislation,"
Leonard said.

Rep. Vinny deMacedo, R-Plymouth, had said he hoped voters would not
support decriminalization, and that he would be reluctant to follow
their lead if they did.

Neither candidate for the vacant House seat in the 12th Plymouth
District supported relaxing marijuana laws, but one, Thomas Calter,
said he would be willing to abide by the will of the people. He said
the state Health Department should study the medical benefit and make
a recommendation.

Calter's opponent, Olly deMacedo, said he would not support
legislation to relax marijuana laws.

Late last night, their race was too close to call.

In the last three elections, 61 percent of Massachusetts voters have
supported decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

A wider majority, 68 percent, supported medical use of
marijuana.

Boston University economist Jeffrey Miron estimated in 2002 that
arrests and processing for simple possession of marijuana cost
Massachusetts $24.3 million a year.

Currently, 11 states, including Vermont, Rhode Island, and Maine, have
laws to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest, Leonard said.