OBITUARY Leo Paoli

Leo Paoli, an attorney who led the first significant fight to legalize
marijuana in California, died Friday in Napa after a long battle with
cancer. He was 65.

Born and raised in San Francisco, Mr. Paoli graduated from San Francisco
State College and Golden Gate University School of Law. After earning his
law degree, he served as an interim assistant dean and associate professor
at Golden Gate, then went into private practice.

Mr. Paoli specialized in criminal law and served as a public defender in
Tulare, Lake and Napa counties. He also maintained private practices in San
Francisco, San Mateo and Napa. He was best known, however, for his
pioneering efforts to change California's drug laws.

In 1972, he authored the California Marijuana Initiative, later organizing
an all volunteer staff to promote the pot decriminalization measure.

His group ultimately collected 500,000 signatures, and the initiative was
placed on the November 1972 ballot as Proposition 19. It lost, garnering 34
percent of the vote.

Mr. Paoli then worked with state Senator George R. Moscone to win
legislative approval of Moscone's marijuana decriminalization bill, which
reduced the penalties for marijuana possession for personal use to a $100
fine. The bill was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in 1975.

"He was extremely bright literally one of a kind," said Gordon S.
Brownell, a St. Helena attorney and the former West Coast director of the
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. "Some people
thought he was tilting at windmills, some people scoffed at him, but he
didn't care. I think recent history demonstrates that he was way, way ahead
of his time."

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NOTE from MAP: Leo Paoli, the father of the California Marijuana Initiative, brought
thousands into real, direct activism in 1972, myself included. He earned a
special place both in the history of this movement and the hearts of all
who knew him. A great friend and mentor, he is deeply missed.

Richard Lake (Solano County Coordinator, California Marijuana Initiative
and editor of the Initiative's newspaper, Grass Roots Gazette)