RELIGIOUS LEADERS UNITE ON MARIJUANA INITIATIVE

A dozen Northern Nevada religious leaders plan to announce today they
support the initiative to legalize marijuana.

"I know of no place else in the country where a group of religious
leaders is coming together to speak with a unified voice with
regulating marijuana," said Troy Dayton, associate director of the
Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative.

The Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative addresses drug policies issues
nationwide and is working with the Committee to Regulate and Control
Marijuana. Dayton said he called many religious leaders to get their
support on the initiative.

The list of 32 churches, mostly in Las Vegas and Reno, includes
Christians and Jews, mainline denominations and several black churches.

Question 7 on the November ballot would allow those 21 and older to
legally possess, use and transfer 1 ounce or less of marijuana. It
also would regulate the sale of marijuana and increase criminal
penalties for causing death or substantial bodily harm when driving
under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The marijuana ballot question has drawn support and opposition by
religious leaders.

"General moral concern about drugs plays in the hands of those opposed
to this question," said Rabbi Myra Soifer of Temple Sinai. "But we're
also morally concerned about justice and we believe that Question 7 is
an appropriate way to regulate a small amount use of marijuana by adults."

Marijuana should join alcohol and tobacco as a drug that the
government regulates to prevent excess, Soifer said.

"So with regulation there would be a limit on the amount of marijuana
that would be legal and hopefully a limit on the amount that would be
easily available," she said.

The initiative also would allow law enforcement to focus on "real
crimes rather than the use of small amounts of marijuana by adults,"
she said.

The Rev. William Webb of Second Baptist Church, the largest black
church in Reno, said he does not want to see drugs dealt on
neighborhood streets.

"If there has to be a market in marijuana, I'd rather it be regulated
with sensible safeguards than run by violent gangs and dangerous drug
dealers," he said.

Protestants believe that laws should curb "gross outburst of sin,"
said the Rev. Ruth Hanusa, minister of the Campus Christian
Association at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Instead of curbing use, she said, marijuana laws are causing more
problems.

"We don't live in a perfect world, and often we don't have ideal
choices, but we look to find the lesser evil," Hanusa said. "Part of
our call to be good stewards of our community's resources requires us
to recognize that. The current policy is overkill and does not promote
the common good. Controlling marijuana through regulations makes more
sense."

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THE FOLLOWING RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN NORTHERN NEVADA SUPPORT QUESTION 7
ON THE BALLOT, TAXING AND REGULATING MARIJUANA:

The Rev. Jerry Smith, district superintendent, United Methodist Church, Reno

The Rev. William C. Webb, senior pastor, Second Baptist Church,
Southern Baptist, Reno

The Rev. Gene Savoy, International Community of Christ Church, Reno

The Rev. William G. Chrystal, senior pastor, First Congregational Church, Reno

Rabbi Myra Soifer, Temple Sinai, Reno

The Rev. John Auer, senior pastor, First United Methodist, Reno

The Rev. Carol Rudisill, interim minister, Unitarian Universalist
Fellowship of Northern Nevada, Reno

The Rev. Deborah Grundman, former minister of music, Sparks United
Methodist Church, current executive assistant to the bishop of the
California-Nevada Conference, and deacon

Rabbi Oren Postrel, North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation

Rabbi Jonathan Freirich, Temple Bat Yam, Stateline

The Rev. Ruth Hanusa, ELCA chaplain, Campus Christian Association,
University of Nevada, Reno

Rabbi ElizaBeth Webb Beyer, ethics professor, UNR