MAJOR METRO CHIEFS VOTE TO OPPOSE DRUG LEGALIZATION INITIATIVES

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Police chiefs from some of the largest cities in
North America have voted to oppose ballot initiatives for the medical
legalization of marijuana or other drugs.

The vote of the Major City Chiefs Association, comprised of chiefs from the
52 largest metropolitan police forces in the U.S. and Canada, was announced
Monday at the International Association of Chiefs of Police convention in
Salt Lake City.

MCCA President Charles H. Ramsey, chief of the District of Columbia
metropolitan police force, said the passage of the referendums in his city,
along with similar proposals elsewhere, ``would be a dangerous step
backward in the fight against crime in our nation's cities.''

Similar proposals are on the Nov. 3 ballots in Nevada, Arizona, Alaska and
Washington. In Colorado, a measure on the ballot has been declared invalid
because of a lack of valid petition signatures.

Arizona voters passed an initiative two years ago allowing doctors to
prescribe 115 illegal drugs to terminally or seriously ill patients. This
year, voters will decide on a referendum aimed at dismantling the provisions.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski