MARIJUANA MEASURE WILL BE ON BALLOT

SALEM - A proposal to allow medicinal use of marijuana in Oregon has made
it onto the Nov. 3 ballot, but one that would have asked voters to restrict
abortions failed to qualify, state elections officials said Friday.

Also qualifying for the ballot are initiatives to make all Oregon elections
vote-by-mail; to make it harder for public employee unions to collect
political donations from their members; and to ensure that adopted people
age 21 and older could obtain copies of their original birth certificates.

A measure that would lengthen sentences for people convicted of property
crimes failed to qualify in the initial round of signature counting, but it
could survive a second, more thorough examination, state officials said.

"I'm cautiously optimistic," said Kevin Mannix, a Salem attorney and former
state legislator who is behind the tough-on-crime measure. "But I am
crossing my fingers and watching just like all my other supporters."

Signature counting continues at the state Capitol to determine whether
several other initiatives make the ballot. The deadline for certifying
ballot measures is July 17.

"The first thing I want to do is to savor the moment," said Rick Bayer, a
Portland-area doctor who is the chief petitioner for the initiative to
legalize smoking pot for medical purposes.

"This is a really great day for Oregon patients," Bayer said. "The voters
of Oregon will get to decide on another important medical rights issue this
fall. I'm very excited about that."

The measure would allow patients with certain diseases that are either
chronically painful or physically debilitating to grow and use small
amounts of marijuana without threat of arrest.

Smoking marijuana has proved effective at easing pain suffered by glaucoma
sufferers and people with multiple sclerosis, advocates of the measure
contend. It also helps some cancer patients fight the sometimes ravaging
side effects of chemotherapy, and it has been known to increase the
appetite of AIDS victims who otherwise suffer from what's known as
"wasting" syndrome.

Bayer said he expects to oversee a high-profile campaign that will include
radio and TV advertising. The measure is being fought by law enforcement
agencies, which see it as tough to enforce and a first step toward outright
legalization of marijuana and other drugs.

Validation of Bill Sizemore's anti-union measure all but guarantees a
pitched political battle between organized labor and conservatives who want
to nullify the growing political influence of unions.

"We're already gearing up for a big campaign," said Becky Miller,
Sizemore's executive assistant at Oregon Taxpayers United. "We expect it's
going to be one of the big issues in the state this year."

The measure also could give Sizemore some fodder for his campaign for
governor. Sizemore is the Republican underdog in a race against incumbent
Democrat Gov. John Kitzhaber. Kitzhaber has received strong support from
unions in the past.

The failure of the anti-abortion measure was expected. Sponsored by the
Oregon Citizens Alliance, the measure drew only a few thousands signatures
more than the 97,681 minimum necessary to qualify for the ballot.

OCA chief Lon Mabon said he will ask his "hard core" supporters whether the
failure should spell the end of the conservative religious group, or
whether it should submit another initiative and hope to qualify for the
ballot in 2000.

Copyright 1998 The Register-Guard