MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS BALLOT QUESTION 9

CARSON CITY (AP) - "Prescription Pot" will be Question 9 on Nevada's
November ballot.

The Secretary of State's office on Friday released the official list of
statewide ballot questions for the November general elections.

The Secretary of State's office numbers the questions, writes explanations
of each one as well as arguments for and against non-legislative
initiatives.

The question whether to allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes was
designated as number 9 after a list of legislatively approved questions.

Arguments for passage include scientific research indicating marijuana has
medicinal value for some patients and that safeguards are built in to
prevent abuse.

The arguments against say there are other medicines that can do the job and
that the plan would open the door to more widespread illegal use of
marijuana.

Also on the ballot is term limits for federal congressional offices.

Term limits has already been approved by Nevada voters once. If approved
again in November, it will require that Nevada's congressional delegation
and state legislators impose term limits on themselves and other members of
the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.

The state already has term limits for members of the Nevada Legislature.

There are no questions on the ballot numbered 10-16. The term limit issue is
Question 17 because the Nevada Constitution requires questions be put to
voters two times in consecutive general elections with the same number and
language.

The marijuana question would allow a patient, on advice of a doctor, to use
marijuana to relieve symptoms of major diseases including cancers, glaucoma,
AIDS, multiple sclerosis and the effects of treatments such as chemotherapy.

It would create a confidential registry of patients authorized to use the
drug so police could make sure a user had a valid medical reason. General
use of the drug would still be illegal in Nevada.

Questions 1-8 are all legislatively approved changes that range from cutting
off legislative sessions at 120 days to making Nevada Day a floating
three-day holiday instead of fixed at Oct. 31.

Question 5 was proposed to cut down the growing length of Nevada's biennial
legislative sessions. Nevada hasn't had a Legislature end in less than 120
days since 1977. The 1997 session cost a record $15.5 million before
adjourning after 169 days. The proposal would make any legislation passed
after 120 calendar days void.

Question 2 would remove the Supreme Court from control over the Judicial
Discipline Commission, which investigates complaints against judges in
Nevada.

Question 6 authorizes a property tax break for water conservation and allows
district courts in the state to meet in cities other than the county seat.

Governmental stores would have to impose and collect sales taxes to make
their prices closer to private companies under Question 7. And the
lieutenant governor would lose his post as President of the Senate if
Question 8 passes.

Question 1 sets up a system to resolve unintentional problems caused when
one constitutional amendment causes problems with another part of the
constitution.

Checked-by: Don Beck